Man Arrested For Pepper Spraying Trans Women In Jackson Heights

JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS — A second person is under arrest for pepper spraying two transgender women in Jackson Heights the weekend of the WorldPride Parade.

Police on Tuesday arrested Jackson Heights resident David Gonzalez, 34, on felony hate crime charges for the June 29 attack.

Elmhurst resident Paula Custodio, 24, was arrested on hate crime charges shortly after the attack, according to a police spokesperson.

Community organizers Bianey Garcia and Norma Ureiro say they were working on a documentary on police harassment and violence against trans women the morning of June 29 when a couple yelled slurs at them, accused them of promoting prostitution and pepper sprayed them.

Garcia went to Elmhurst Hospital with burning and watery eyes following the attack, according to police and a social media post.

"A pepper-spray attack will not stop me and our members from continuing this struggle and creating visibility and raising awareness about the lives of trans women," said Garcia, an organizer for the nonprofit Make the Road New York.

A transphobic man just pepper spray on my face in 82nd st Roosevelt Av, I'm at the Elmhurst hospital right now"

Transphobia is real
(Enough is enough)

Me arden los ojos!!!! #TransphobiaKills pic.twitter.com/Q3YoCeQJZH
— Bianey Garcia (@BianeyDlaO) June 29, 2019

Two days after the attack, Make the Road New York and LGBTQ advocacy groups joined Garcia and Ureiro for a rally highlighting the prevalence of violence against transgender individuals — particularly trans women of color.

The rally took place steps away from where Garcia and Ureiro were pepper sprayed.