Update: A Black Lives Matter activist said the gunman who killed 5 people in Philadelphia on July 3 is not transgender.
On Tuesday, media outlets reported the gunman was a MTF transgender. Neighbors said he was “weird” and wore feminine clothing for years.
However, Asa Khalif, a Black Lives Matter activist, claims the shooter is not transgender. He accused “conservative bigots” in the media of using “violent” language toward transgender people of color.
Khalif noted that media outlets published photos showing the killer wearing feminine attire, while identifying him as transgender.
“There are certain pictures that are circulating – some of you may be aware of those pictures… have the shooter in one picture as male and other pictures dressed in female attire or female outfits,” Khalif said in a press conference.
“They have used those pictures to attack trans people and particularly trans women of color, which are extremely vulnerable to violence in our community,” he added.
Khalif insists the shooter “has not identified themselves as trans. They have only identified themselves as male. And that’s the language that will be used until further developments.”
He continued: “The language spewed out by the conservative press is violent and is dangerous and is targeting trans women of color. It’s rallying the community to be violent and we’re better than that.”
Watch the press conference below.
At a press conference about the recent mass shooting in Philadelphia, a BLM activist said conservative media is committing verbal "violence" by sharing photos of the shooter wearing women's clothing because he was not really trans.
"But the language spewed out by the… pic.twitter.com/mLNsWQk8q0
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 5, 2023
Originally published on July 4, 2023 at 16:58.
The 40-year-old shooter opened fire on a busy street in Philly, killing 5 people and wounding 2 kids on July 3.
The shooter was cornered in an alley by police and taken into custody without resistance. He is being held in jail without bond.
He was wearing a bullet-proof vest with multiple magazines in the vest pockets, according to Fox29.
The shooter carried a police scanner and was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and a handgun, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
In Facebook posts, the gunman expressed concern that President Biden was going to take away his rights to bear arms.
He also posted support for former President Trump and had a Soundcloud account where he shared his music.
“We mourn the loss of 5 innocent lives and stand w/ those impacted during this tragic time. Our deepest condolences go out to them,” tweeted Philadelphia’s police commissioner, Danielle Outlaw. “I want to commend our brave @PPD12Dist officers who responded swiftly to this horrific shooting. Their courage, dedication, & restraint saved lives.”
The five victims are Daujan Brown, 15; Lashyd Merritt, 20; Dymir Stanton, 29; Joseph Wamah Jr., 31; and Ralph Moralis, 59, according to Fox29.
