ATLANTA — A Fulton County judge has set bond for a man accused of targeting transgender women.
Last week, Atlanta police released body camera video that showed the arrest of Michael Boykin.
A security guard who witnessed one of the attacks told police that Boykin has been assaulting transgender people for a long time and police believe there may be more victims out there.
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Boykin was arrested by Atlanta police last week after officers spotted him behind an apartment complex on North Avenue about a mile from Ponce City Market.
Investigators say Boykin is a familiar face to law enforcement.
According to a police report, “Boykin has been physically assaulting members of the transgender community for a long period of time.”
Witnesses told police that they saw Boykin punch his victims multiple times in the head and face, leaving them with swollen faces and black eyes.
Atlanta police call this an ongoing investigation.
They believe there may be additional victims and have contacted the Department of Homeland Security for assistance.
Boykin’s arrest comes at a time when hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are on the rise.
“In 2023, it was reported that 2,800 acts of violence were reported to the FBI against members of the LGBTQ community. Almost 600 of those were specifically targeted against transgender individuals,” Jeff Graham, Executive Director of Georgia Equality told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden.
Boykin remains in jail with his bond set at $85,000.
Police said the District Attorney’s Office will eventually decide on whether or not he will face additional hate crime charges.
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