Northern California police are investigating a sexual assault and hate crime case involving a transgender high school student who was allegedly attacked by three boys in a bathroom.
The 15-year-old Hercules resident, who was born a female but identifies as a transgender male, told the Los Angeles Times that he was leaving the boy's bathroom on Monday morning when "three unidentified male juveniles," accosted him outside.
According to a press release publicized by the Hercules Police Department, the three teenage boys pushed him inside of a handicapped stall of the bathroom. The transgender teen was then "physically and sexually assaulted," Detective Connie Van Putten said.
The teenager was immediately transferred to a medical facility close to the San Francisco Bay Area city, where he received treatment for his unspecified injuries.
"He walked himself to the health center, and was obviously very upset when he talked to officers," Van Putten told the Associated Press. "He is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances."
Police haven't identified a suspect, nor have they made any arrests just yet.
Under a new state law, public school students can use whatever gender of restroom with which they identify. This teen chose to use the boy's bathroom.
According to Van Putten, the attackers made certain comments toward the teen during the attack that led law enforcement officials to believe this was a hate crime.
This is the second case of an attack concerning a transgender at Hercules Middle-High School - trans student Jewlyes Gutierrez was arrested and charged with battery due after allegedly participating in a fight that occurred because school staff ignored her constant complaints of being bullied.
"Obviously, things are running amok at Hercules," president of the West Contra Costa Unifed School Board Charles Ramsey told the Mercury News. "We have to do better. This is all escalating and starting to accumulate. Really, it's an unsafe environment at the school and a lot of people are concerned."
