Woman says she was victim of surprise punch, anti-gay slur

CaptionCloseBrianna Rocais was sitting at a bus stop on the corner of Central Avenue and Quail Street at noon Monday when a man walking by suddenly punched her in the back of the head."He decked me," Rocais said. While she recovered from the blow, her attacker...

Woman says she was victim of surprise punch, anti-gay slur

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Brianna Rocais was sitting at a bus stop on the corner of Central Avenue and Quail Street at noon Monday when a man walking by suddenly punched her in the back of the head.

"He decked me," Rocais said. While she recovered from the blow, her attacker walked away with his friend as if nothing happened.

"They were laughing," Rocais, a 23-year-old transgender woman, said. She followed them and asked, "Did you just hit me? Why did you hit me?"

The man turned to face her and shouted a slew of obscenities punctuated by a homophobic slur.

"They looked like they wanted a fight," Rocais said. "I didn't want to get beat up so I turned tail and ran."

Rocais said she believes the attack, one of three confrontations she has endured since November but the first she's reported to police, was motivated by a hatred of transgender people.

Police said they are investigating the case and hope local security camera footage can lead to Rocais' attacker.

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