Man Accused Of Assaulting, Using Anti-Gay Slur Against Transgender Victim At Concord Store In 2024

CONCORD, NH — A New Hampshire man has been charged with a civil rights violation after an incident in a store in Concord last year.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has filed a complaint against Travis Lufkin, 24, formerly of Laconia and previously homeless in Concord, accusing him of assaulting and using an anti-gay slur against a transgender employee of a store in Concord in May 2024. The civil complaint was filed in Merrimack County Superior Court on Tuesday.

According to the complaint, Lufkin entered a property where the victim was working on May 19, 2024, after previously being asked to leave the store. During the interaction, he was accused of striking the victim in the face, using the slur, and engaging in a physical struggle before leaving the scene on his bicycle. Concord police found the suspect, and he was accused of admitting to the assault and insisting the victim be referred to as a man despite police reminders of the victim’s transgender preferences. The attorney general’s office said Lufkin’s conduct “was motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived gender identity and/or sexual orientation and interfered with her lawful activities,” a report stated.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the process for requesting the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

John Formella, the state’s attorney general, said the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act is a safeguard for everyone, so they can live and work without fear of violence or unlawful discrimination.

“My office will continue to enforce the law fairly and firmly whenever hate-motivated acts threaten the safety or rights of anyone in the Granite State,” he said.

According to reports previously received by Patch, the store was on North Main Street in Downtown Concord, where Lufkin had previously been trespassed. At the time of his arrest, he also faced other charges. Each violation comes with a $5,000 civil penalty.

According to superior court records, Lufkin was charged with robbery after an incident in Concord in June 2022. He was indicted on the charge, but it was nolle prossed in January 2023.

According to posts on Patch, Lufkin has been arrested or cited several times, on various charges, during the past six years.

Most recently, he was arrested by New Hampshire State Police after a chase earlier this month. Lufkin was previously charged with strangulation, simple assault, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, public urination or defecation, theft, and domestic violence.

The Civil Rights Unit enforces state civil rights laws, including the Civil Rights Act and the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination. Anyone who believes their civil rights have been violated may file a complaint at https://www.doj.nh.gov/bureaus/civil-rights-unit or by calling 603-271-3650.

Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube or Rumble channels. Patch in New Hampshire is now in 190 communities. Also, follow Patch on Google Discover.