Charges against a man accused of chasing a trans woman with a knife in Edgewood have prompted a local group to call for more stringent action. The alarming incident, which took place at Edgewood Town Center, has left the community shaken and sparked a conversation about hate crimes and the legal response to such acts. According to a report by WPXI, the woman, who remains anonymous for her safety, said the man, identified by police as Darryl Dunn, "pulled out a knife and told me he hated trans women, and that he wanted to kill me."
The current charges against Dunn include ethnic intimidation and simple assault. Yet, many, including the executive director of the local non-profit organization SisTers PGH, believe these charges fail to address the gravity of the situation fully. Ciora Thomas, of SisTers PGH, argued, "this was attempted homicide and I’m hoping the DA does their jobs to recognize this is an attempted homicide case," as she stated, per WPXI.
As of now, Dunn faces charges that include terroristic threats, simple assault, and ethnic intimidation, as per court documents. Despite recognition for the inclusion of a hate crime charge, Thomas states that SisTers PGH is pushing for the cases to be elevated to include attempted homicide. The organization has issued a "call to action" to the community to contact the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office and advocate for revised charges. The district attorney's office has yet to respond to inquiries from WTAE regarding the case.
