A Seattle man who said President Donald Trump wants all transgender people killed has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a violent assault on a transgender woman in the city’s University District. Prosecutors said the case shows how harassment can quickly escalate into bias-motivated violence.
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Andre Carlow was sentenced Friday in King County Superior Court after a jury found him guilty of second-degree assault and a hate crime for attacking Andy Holseple last March. Prosecutors argued the assault was fueled by hostility over Holseple’s gender identity.
Holsepul testified that on March 27, 2025, he was walking through Seattle’s University District on his way to the Seattle Mariners’ season opener when he encountered a group of men, including Carlow. According to to seattle times. What started as verbal harassment quickly turned violent.
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Prosecutors said Carlow yelled insults and called Holseple a “drag queen.” When she tried to record the harassment on her cell phone, Carlow punched her in the mouth and began a gang assault. Witnesses said Holseple was punched and kicked while the assailants shouted anti-transgender slurs. She suffered a broken tooth, facial injuries and a brain bleed before seeking help from a nearby restaurant.
Although multiple men were involved, investigators identified Carlow as the main perpetrator. Jurors concluded that the assault met Washington state’s legal definition of a hate crime, which requires proof that the victim was targeted because of a protected characteristic, such as gender identity.
Prosecutors said in court that the violence had repercussions beyond the immediate victims. Assistant Prosecutor Yesenia Manzo said attacks like this one “demonstrate the fear” many transgender people have of being targeted in public.
She also cited recorded phone calls Carlow made from prison.
“If you didn’t hate transgender people before, you absolutely do now. I think Trump should kill them all. Get them out of here. They’re freaks,” he said.
The University District assault was not the only incident involving Carlow. In 2024, he punched a transgender Sound Transit fare ambassador who asked for fare confirmation at a light rail station. In that case, the jury found him guilty of fourth-degree assault, but could not reach a verdict on the hate crime charge.
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During the sentencing proceedings, ABC affiliate KOMO-TV in Seattle reported Carlow appeared to have little remorse and at times resisted the court’s instructions until he eventually complied.
The judge sentenced Carlow to 84 months in prison for the attack. Mr Carlow also received short sentences for previous assaults.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
