Man admits to shooting transgender woman in hate crime, police say

Police have arrested a Dallas man who they say admitted to shouting anti-LGBTQ slurs at a transgender woman before shooting her several times.

Domingo Ramirez-Cavente, 29, allegedly shot Rony Calderon, who is transgender, last week in northwest Dallas, hitting her multiple times in the chest and arm, and leaving her in serious condition, police said Tuesday.

The incident unfolded at around 11 p.m. last Friday, when Ramirez-Cavente allegedly pulled up beside Calderon and "began speaking derogatorily of gay and transgender people," according to an arrest affidavit.

The woman walked away and headed to a nearby bus stop "due to the hostility" of the conversation, but Ramirez-Cavente allegedly followed her and opened fire, the affidavit said.

The woman survived, but police said they weren't able to speak with her until Sunday due to her condition. Her injuries required surgery and she was still hospitalized as of Wednesday evening.

Ramirez-Cavente was taken into custody on Tuesday, ending a four-day manhunt.

The Dallas Police Department released surveillance footage on Monday, showing a red pick-up truck that was allegedly used in the attack, and offered up to $5,000 for any information leading to an arrest and indictment.

Police spotted a vehicle matching the description and arrested Ramirez-Cavente for alleged traffic violations, including failure to use a turn signal, the following day.

"Officers arrested the suspect for multiple traffic violations and transported him to Dallas Police Headquarters," the affidavit said. "During the interview the suspect admitted to the details of the offence including shooting the victim at the bus stop."

The incident, which is being investigated as a hate crime, comes in the wake of three fatal attacks against transgender women across Texas, including two in Dallas.

At least 18 transgender people have been killed this year in the U.S., according to the Human Rights Campaign. The group tracked 29 killings in 2018, the most it had ever recorded in a year.

Ramirez-Cavente was charged with aggravated assault and was being held on $25,000 bond as Wednesday evening. It's unclear if he has retained an attorney.