Islan Nettles, a 21-year-old transgender woman who was brutally
attacked in New York City, has died from her injuries.
Nettles was attacked while out with a friend, another transgender
woman, last Saturday evening in Harlem. A group of men attacked
Nettles, shouting homophobic and transphobic slurs. One man,
20-year-old Paris Wilson, was taken into custody.
Nettles was rushed to Harlem Hospital, where she slipped into a
coma. On Thursday, she was declared brain dead and taken off life
support.
On Friday, the medical examiner's office determined Nettles died
from blunt impact injuries to the head, the AP reported.
Mayoral candidate and City Council speaker Christine Quinn joined
other council members in denouncing the attack
“An attack against one person, or one community, is an assault
against all New Yorkers,” she said in the joint statement. “We
ask all New Yorkers to come together, to embrace our differences and
to denounce hate violence.”
New York City is facing a rash of anti-gay attacks, including the
murder of Mark Carson in May.
(Related: In
New York, thousands march to protest killing of Mark Carson, a gay
man.)