Dallas Police Anticipate More Arrests in Trans Woman’s Beating

Dallas police expect to make more arrests in the beating of a transgender woman in the parking lot of an apartment complex in east Oak Cliff.

Detectives are reviewing video of the beating to determine how many people were involved, interviewing suspects and working to identify others, said police Lt. Vincent Weddington. He wouldn't speculate on how many arrests might be made.

Sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. Friday, Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was involved in a minor traffic accident in the parking lot of Royal Crest Apartments, 3558 Wilhurt Ave. Booker and another man began arguing about the accident. As a crowd gathered, several men began beating Booker and using homophobic slurs, police said.

Witnesses took Booker to UT Southwestern Medical Center to be treated for her injuries.

At 9:30 p.m. Sunday, officers arrested Edward Thomas, 29, on a charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. He was booked into the Dallas County jail Sunday night. He remained in jail Monday on $75,000 bond.

At a news conference Monday, Weddington said investigators are determining whether the assault meets the criteria to be considered a hate crime. The department has contacted the FBI about the incident, he said.

"This case is certainly disturbing," he said.

Over the weekend, cellphone video was posted to social media of the incident. In the video, a man can be seen sitting on top of Booker and savagely beating her with his fists.

On Monday, The Dallas Morning News reported that someone in the crowd had offered Thomas $200 to attack Booker. Weddington said detectives were working to confirm whether any such offer was made.