District of Columbia
Man found guilty in 2023 shooting of trans woman in D.C. apartment building
Jury rejected defendant’s claim that victim had gun
A D.C. Superior Court jury on Sept. 24 found a D.C. man guilty of aggravated assault while armed and four additional gun related charges for the Nov. 29, 2023, shooting of a female transgender sex worker in a Northeast Washington apartment building.
Following a four-week trial, the jury found Jerry Tyree, 46, guilty of one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of felony possession of a firearm, and one count of attempted possession of liquid PCP.
The jury found him not guilty of a single count of attempted unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur scheduled a sentencing hearing for Dec. 13, 2024. Under the D.C. criminal code, Tyree faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 to 30 years in prison.
Testimony by key prosecution witnesses, including D.C. police investigators and Kayla Fowler, the victim in the case, Tyree and Fowler first met at the intersection of Eastern Ave., N.E., and Foote St., N.E., shortly before 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2023. Witnesses pointed out that the area is well known as a gathering place for female transgender sex workers.
“After negotiating a price for oral sex, the defendant and the victim walked together into a nearby apartment building, where the victim performed oral sex on the defendant,” according to a statement released after the verdict by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C.
“The defendant then accused the victim of robbing him, and when she denied doing so, the defendant pulled out a small silver handgun and shot the victim directly in the penis before leaving the scene,” the statement says. “Police were called by a neighbor and the victim was transported to the hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries,” it says.
Evidence presented by police and the two lead prosecutors in the case, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Daniel Bromwich, showed that on Dec. 30, 2023, a month after the shooting, police arrested Tyree after finding him in possession of a gun that was found to be the same small silver handgun that was used to shoot Fowler.
Police witnesses testified that at the time Tyree was arrested for possession of the handgun at a location less than a mile from where he allegedly shot Fowler on a staircase in the apartment building at 5920 Foote St., N.E., he was also found to be in possession of several glass vials, including one partially filled with suspected PCP.
Police and the two lead prosecutors presented ballistic and DNA evidence at the trial obtained by investigators that they argued proved “beyond a reasonable doubt” that Tyree used the gun in question to shoot Fowler at the apartment building following his claim that she stole money from his pants pocket while performing oral sex on him.
When questioned by his lead attorney, Sara Kopecki, Tyree testified at the trial that it was Fowler who had the gun and pulled it out after he accused her of stealing about $80 in cash from his pants pocket. Tyree told the jury, in response to questions from Kopecki, that he became alarmed and shocked when he saw Fowler pull out the gun, and he attempted to grab the gun from her, which led to a struggle during which the gun fired, and Fowler was struck by a single bullet.
Tyree testified that following the struggle and the firing of the gun, and after witnessing Fowler screaming in pain after being shot, he took the gun that he said had fallen on the floor, and left the apartment building out of fear that if he left the gun with Fowler, she might chase after him and shoot him.
Under questioning from prosecutors, Tyree acknowledged that he kept the gun for a full month until the time police found him to be in possession of it and that he never called police or dialed 911 for an ambulance to help Fowler after she was shot.
Defense attorney Kopecki argued before the jury that police and prosecutors were falsely claiming that Tylee owned the gun based, in part, by his past criminal record of being arrested on gun related charges.
At one point during questioning from one of the prosecutors, who asked Tyree if he knew that Fowler was a transwoman, he replied, “I’m not a homosexual. I don’t mess with men.”
Under questioning from his own attorney, Kopecki, Tyree began crying uncontrollably when asked about his past interaction with police. He told of being mistreated by police in the past and suggested that was why he did not call police immediately after the shooting on Nov. 29, 2923.
“You don’t trust the police?” Kopecki asked. “No,” he replied.
Cocuzza and Bromwich argued that Tyree has a past arrest record with prior gun related charges and that the evidence in this case proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Tyree chose not to call police because he intentionally shot Fowler after falsely accusing her of stealing money from him.
The prosecutors also pointed to Fowler’s testimony that the dispute between her and Tyree appeared to have started when she requested that he wear a condom when she performed oral sex on him. She testified that during oral sex Tyree backed away from her, removed the condom, and masturbated until he ejaculated on the staircase landing where they had their sexual encounter.
Police testimony at the trial showed that investigators obtained a sample of Tylee’s semen from the scene of the shooting and used DNC testing to link the semen to him.
The jury handed down its verdict after Arthur had twice instructed them that they should not render a verdict of guilt unless they believe prosecutors have proved their case against Tyree beyond a reasonable doubt.
In a phone interview Tuesday evening several hours after the jury handed down its guilty verdict, Fowler told the Washington Blade she did not attend the trial following her testimony under court rules that don’t allow witnesses to attend a trial in which they testify. She said she learned about the verdict from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“I was relieved, for one thing, and kind of happy that justice was served,” she said. She said she was living in the area near where the shooting took place at the time it happened, but she has since moved to Baltimore.
“I left the area because it was harsh for me to live in the area after what happened to me. I was scared for my life.” She added, “I had to undergo two major surgeries. I had to wear a colostomy bag for three and a half months to let me urinate.”
At this time, she said, she has mostly fully healed. Asked what message she may have for the community, including the LGBTQ community, she said, “I would like them to be aware of their surroundings. Don’t’ trust everyone. Just be yourself and just be careful about what others may do to you because of the life we live.”
District of Columbia
D.C. Latinx Pride celebrates culture and heritage
Your guide to events throughout June
Organizers with the Latinx History Project have planned a host of events this Pride season with parties, poetry, drag and more.
The festivities begin with the DC Latinx Pride 2026 Kickoff at Crush Dance Bar (2007 14th Street, N.W.) on Friday, June 12 from 6-10 p.m. The party will include a coronation ceremony for the 2026 Royal Court: Ms. DC Latinx Pride Vida Rangel and Mx. DC Latinx Pride Steph Niaupari. RSVP at latinxhistoryproject.org. The event is free, though donations are accepted.
An outdoor event is planned for Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Anacostia River Park (1500 Anacostia Dr., S.E.). Cultivating Queer Outdoor Joy is a “peaceful outdoor community event focused on grounding, connection, and queer joy in nature.” The event is free.
A panel discussion is planned for The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd., N.W., 2nd floor) on Monday, June 15 from 6-8 p.m. La Plática: The Future of 2 Spirits and Trans Natives will focus upon the “stories, leadership and vision of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and Trans Native people.” RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
A sex-positive poetry workshop, “Hoetry: Writing Erotic Poetry,” is planned for Wednesday, June 17 from 6-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). The event is free.
The workshop So You Wanna Do Drag? is planned for Thursday, June 18 from 5:30-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). Featured guests Ricky Rose and Mari Con Carne will hold a style showcase to discuss the basics of developing a drag persona. RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project is collaborating with Rumba Queer DC to produce an official Latinx Pride Party: Sin Vergüenza. The event is at the multi-level venue, Transmission (1353 H Street, N.E.) on Thursday, June 18 from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. There are dance lessons, vendors and three different music experiences in the sprawling venue. There will also be a drag showcase from 10-11 p.m. The event is 21+ and tickets are available at shotgun.live/en/events/sin-verguenza. Tickets are $15 for entry into the party. Tickets to participate in the dance lesson are $29.98. Participants may choose between a bachata lesson or a salsa lesson from 7-8 p.m.
La Fiesta: Official DC Latinx Pride Party is planned for Friday, June 19 from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. at Bunker (2001 14th Street, N.W.). Serena Morena from “Drag Race México” and “Drag Race UK vs The World” is slated to headline the 21+ event. Early tickets are available for $15 (plus $0.38 service fee) until June 16. The door cover charge without early tickets is $20. Attendees can also purchase a meet and greet experience with Serena Morena for $30. Tickets are available at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project plans to march in the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 20 and to have a table at the Capital Pride Festival on Sunday, June 21. Visit latinxhistoryproject.org to register to march alongside LGP in the parade or to staff the table at the festival.
The DC Latinx Pride 2026 Closing Event is scheduled for Friday, June 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mexican Cultural Institute (2829 16th Street, N.W.). The free event is a panel discussion “centering the experiences of immigrants who have lived in Latin America and now call the United States home.”
Visit latinxhistoryproject.org for more information.
District of Columbia
JR.’s hosts meet & greet for mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George
Event organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, Queers for Janeese
D.C. mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George spoke to a crowd of LGBTQ supporters on June 1 at a meet & greet event held at JR.’s on 17th Street in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.
The event, organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, which has endorsed Lewis George for mayor, with support from a group called Queers for Janeese, was followed by a “get out the vote” canvassing endeavor in which several of those attending the meet & greet visited the homes of nearby residents known to be Lewis George supporters.
The purpose of the canvassing was to remind Lewis George supporters to return their mail-in ballots or go to the polls on June 16 to elect Lewis George as the city’s next mayor, according to Matthew Kavanagh, one of the leaders of Queers for Janeese who attended the meet & greet event at JR.’s.
Local political observers consider Lewis George, a Ward 4 D.C. Council member, and former At-Large D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie, to be the two leading candidates in this year’s race for mayor. The two are among seven mayoral candidates competing in the city’s June 16 Democratic primary.
Lewis George told those attending the meet & greet, which was held on the JR.’s outdoor patio, that she has a long record of advocating for and initiating city polices and laws in support of the LGBTQ community. She said large corporate donors were backing her opponents and urged her LGBTQ supporters to help raise funds for her in the remaining days of the campaign.
Among those attending the meet & greet was gay longtime Dupont Circle civic activist Randy Downs who last November opened a nearby eatery called Protest Pizza. “I am queer and I am a Janeese supporter,” Downs told the Blade.
Stevie McCarty, president of Capital Stonewall Democrats, who also spoke at the meet & greet event, said his group would organize events in support of Lewis George in the remaining days of the campaign. Among them, he said, was an LGBTQ bar crawl in which supporters of Lewis George, including the candidate herself, would visit LGBTQ bars to promote her candidacy.
District of Columbia
D.C. kicks off Pride month with flag raising ceremony
Mayor, Council members join LGBTQ activists in 4th annual event
Members of the D.C. Council joined Mayor Muriel Bowser and a crowd of LGBTQ activists and supporters on June 1 for the city’s fourth annual LGBTQ Pride flag raising ceremony held outside the John A. Wilson Building, which serves as the D.C. City Hall.
Since its inception four years ago by Mayor Bowser, the event has served as the official kickoff of D.C. Pride month, which culminates this year with the annual Capital Pride Parade on June 20 and Pride festival on June 21, which takes place on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. near the U.S. Capitol.
“As I like to say, we’re celebrating Pride month in the gayest city in the world,” Bowser told a crowd that included city officials and Council members joining her on the front steps of the Wilson Building.
“Fifty-one years of Pride in the future 51st state,” she said, adding, “And both movements are rooted in the same belief – every person deserves to be seen, heard, and fully represented.”
Among those who spoke at the event in addition to Bowser were Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs; D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb; and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large).
“This year is special,” Bowles told the gathering. “It’s special because we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs,” he said. “For two decades this office has helped make Washington, D.C. one of the most welcoming and affirming cities in the world.”
He added, “We have expanded LGBTQ services across agencies, invested millions of dollars into community organizations, championing culturally competent care and training, supporting LGBTQ supportive businesses and workers and celebrated our history.”
Schwalb said his Office of the D.C. Attorney General continues to safeguard the city’s laws protecting residents against discrimination but expressed concern about “high court” rulings that he said continue to roll back civil rights, voting rights, and human rights.
He said, “We’re seeing cases limiting medical care for transgender youth while at the same time green lighting so-called conversion therapy.” He pointed to cases or policies “excluding transgender girls from participating in sports and excluding story books with LGBTQ characters from our school libraries.”
He said his office is committed to protecting all residents, including LGBTQ residents, from all forms of discrimination. “And that includes the right to be our authentic selves, to freely express our identities and ourselves to be who we are and to love who we love.”
Mendelson, who also expressed strong support for the LGBTQ community and for the upcoming Pride events, said 10 of the Council’s 13 members were attending the Pride flag raising event, including gay Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5).
“I’m just here with gratitude,” Parker told the Washington Blade. “There’s a lot to be grateful for and a lot more to fight for,” he said. “And so, raising this flag is a reminder that our government is here to serve all of our residents regardless of how you identify or who you love.”
Shortly after Mendelson spoke, D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), who is running for mayor in the city’s June 16 primary, arrived at the event, becoming the 11th Council member to turn out for the event.
Among those also attending the event were Ryan Bos and June Crenshaw, the two top officials of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes D.C.’s annual LGBTQ Pride events.
Bowser, who is not running for re-election this year and will be stepping down as mayor in January 2027, thanked those attending the Pride flag raising event for playing a role in an all-inclusive city.
“We speak with one clear voice – that D.C. is a welcoming city,” she said in her remarks. “But also, we know that our work has been robust, but it is not done. We fly this flag in front of the John A. Wilson Building because it tells a story,” she said.
“It tells a story of a city that takes care of itself,” she added. “And we take care of each other. We are a city that is diverse and welcoming.”
Serving as the event’s master of ceremony and who introduced Bowles as the first speaker was longtime D.C. drag performer Tara Hoot.
Ogles faces bipartisan backlash over anti-gay social media post
First gay underwear party? How to have fun nearly naked
D.C. Latinx Pride celebrates culture and heritage
Fighting ‘Rainbow Panic’ in museums
A vice president marches by our side
Books for a pre-Pride celebration
Barney Frank’s powerful legacy for LGBTQ federal employees
Claudia López comes up short in Colombian presidential election
PHOTOS: Hagerstown Pride
