A String of Violent Attacks Against Trans Women in Houston

30-year-old Salih Ali Mohammed Alhemoudis facing 6 felony charges and a federal hate crime connected to a series of violent attacks against transgender women in Houston.

According to an FBI complaint, Alhemoud allegedly used Grindr, a dating app, to target two women, luring them to private residences before assaulting and robbing them.

One of the women reported that Alhemoud demanded cash, and upon refusal, struck her with a gun and threatened to kill her saying she was, "a demon like all the others, all you trans people."

She escaped and used her phone's tracking feature to alert authorities to Alhemoud’s location, which led to his identification.

MORE VICTIMS COME FORWARD

Following this report, other victims came forward. Two additional transgender women said Alhemoud connected with them through Instagram and then threatened them at gunpoint, using slurs, in their shared apartment.

In a separate incident, Alhemoud allegedly robbed and threatened two transgender women and a gay man. His eventual arrest came after a high-speed chase, following a road rage incident in which he threatened two other drivers with a pistol.

MULTIPLE CHARGES AGAINST ALHEMOUD

Alhemoud, who has been in custody since his 2022 arrest, faces the following changes:

• Aggravated assault
• Robbery
• Hate crime
• New charges are to come next Tuesday.

HATE CRIMES IN TEXAS

Shocking statistics report a grim reality for the LGBTQ+ community in Texas. Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals in Texas have doubled between 2019 and 2023, according to a report by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. In 2023 alone, Texas lawmakers introduced a record 141 anti-LGBTQ+ bills.