Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Police Release Photo of Man They Say Attacked Transgender Girlfriend

By Katie Honan | December 11, 2015 8:55am | Updated on December 14, 2015 8:50am
 Police are searching for the suspect in the Nov. 29 attack. 
Police are searching for the suspect in the Nov. 29 attack. 
View Full Caption
NYPD

JACKSON HEIGHTS — Police release a photo Friday of a man suspected of beating up his transgender girlfriend in an attack last month. 

Tomas Rivera, 29, got into a verbal dispute with his girlfriend, who is transgender, in front of her home on 93rd Street, off Roosevelt Avenue, at 4 a.m. on Nov. 29, police said.

Police said he demanded the victim hand over her cellphone, which had texts between them. They continued to argue and he slammed her head into the sidewalk and punched her in the face and head before fleeing with the phone, police said.

The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical but stable condition, according to police.

Investigators had originally looked into the case as a hate crime, but later said it was a domestic dispute. 

The attack spurred protests by the community, and raised concerns among some advocates that the NYPD was not doing enough to address violence against transgender New Yorkers.

Rivera also goes by the name "Jorge," police said. 

He's described as 5-foot-6 and 220 pounds. 

Anyone with information on where Rivera is can call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.