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Safeway assault case still open

Unidentified woman sought in July attack on gay man

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Safeway, gay news, Washington Blade
Safeway, gay news, Washington Blade

This unidentified female suspect remains at large after allegedly assaulting a gay man at a Safeway.

An unidentified female suspect captured on video assaulting a gay man at a Safeway store at 5th and L Streets, N.W., on July 2 while calling him “faggot” remains at large more than a month after the incident sparked widespread interest on social media.

“This case is still open and under investigation,” said D.C. police spokesperson Gwendolyn Crump. “No arrest at this time.”

The victim of the alleged assault, local Realtor Mark Rutstein, 40, told the Blade at the time of the incident that the suspect began punching him in the face and calling him a faggot seconds after he approached her at a customer service counter and politely asked her if she was standing in line.

In attempting to defend himself Rutstein said he pulled the woman to the floor by her hair and held her down while screaming for security to help him. He said he released the woman when security guards and an assistant manager arrived.

But to his dismay and over his objections, the guards and the assistant manager escorted the woman to the door and allowed her to flee, according to Rutstein. He said the manager then refused his request to call police, telling him a police station was located across the street and he should go there if he wanted police assistance.

Rutstein said he flagged down a police car outside the store, resulting in four officers arriving at the store to take a police report. Two were from the department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.

While there, the officers obtained an electronic copy of video footage of the alleged assault from the store’s security camera system. Police later released photos taken from the video and appealed to the public for help in identifying the suspect.

In response to criticism over the decision by Safeway employees to allow the suspect to escape, a Safeway spokesperson said the guards missed seeing how the incident started and assumed it was a fight between two customers.

“We have apologized to the customer and are conducting our own investigation as well as continue to cooperate with law enforcement on their investigation,” Safeway spokesperson Craig Muckle said in a July 9 statement.

Police listed the incident as an anti-gay hate crime.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Blade’s WorldPride celebration ends with fireworks show

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The Washington Blade's Pride on the Pier. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier (Photo by Cedric Craig for Wild Side Media)
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Virginia

Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race

State senator won Democratic primary on Tuesday

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Ghazala Hashmi (Screen capture via One Vote At A Time/YouTube)

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. 

Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.

“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”

Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.

Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.

Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.

Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.

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Baltimore

More than 15K people attend Baltimore Trans Pride

Baltimore Safe Haven organized annual event

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(Bigstock photo)

More than 15,000 people attended Baltimore Safe Haven’s annual Trans Pride on Saturday.

“Last year we had maybe 2,500, and the year before that, we had 5,000,” Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said. “In today’s political climate, it’s absolutely amazing.”

Lau said allies and other groups “went into hiding” for about a month or two after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but then all at once, different organizations started to reach out. 

“The community has really come together to support us,” Lau said. “It was a fun, exciting day.” 

Baltimore Safe Haven Executive Director Iya Dammons in a press release said the “historic turnout” showed the transgender community’s strength, as well as their unity to fight for justice and equality for all LGBTQ people.

At the event, attendees were seen waving flags and shouting “Trans Lives Matter,” showing their support for the community. 

On Friday, before Trans Pride, Baltimore Safe Haven opened their new building to the public, gathering notable attendees like the Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohan, Council Member Antonio Glover, and representatives from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“(It) was historic in itself because … we’re the only direct service providers for people in the LGBT community,” Lau said.

Providing housing for 18- to 24-year-olds, Lau said the new building also serves as a community hub and has office spaces for workers. 

With only a few hiccups of arguments between attendees and fixing street blockades during Trans Pride, Lau said the event showed what the community can do. 

“It was amazing that so many people came out and had that much fun. We were all giddy by Sunday morning,” Lau said. “(It gave) Safe Haven exposure and continuity. We are not just an LGBT organization, we are an organization that supports the entire community.”

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