Crystal Raquel Cash, a 55-year old transgender woman, was shot in the head on Sunday by Gerald Duane Lewis, a 26-year-old man affiliated with the hate group Israel United in Christ.
Cash, who is currently in the hospital and unable to speak, was targeted by Lewis for being transgender, making the attempted murder a hate crime. She was initially misgendered by law enforcement, but her brother, Johnny Dickens, confirmed to local news that she is a transgender woman and has identified as such her entire life.
Cash was shot in her cosmetics business, which has been misreported as a massage parlor. Dickens criticized the media for its characterization of her:
“I just want to set the record straight and tell the world that my sister has come a long way from where she’s come. She has made something of herself. She’s a professional business owner and she is not some sort of a prostitute that’s luring people into her office.”
Dickens also said that his sister did not know Gerald Lewis.
Lewis identifies as Gadiell Ben Israel on Facebook, and claims to work for Israel United in Christ, an anti-integration, anti-interracial marriage, anti-LGBT, anti-Semitic black separatist group. In response to Lewis’ attempted murder, IUIC elder Nathanyel Ben Israel issued a statement from the organization’s Newburgh, N.Y. headquarters.
Daisy Norman, who told reporters that she is married to Lewis, is also a Black Hebrew Israelite. She defended the group, but never spoke of Lewis being “removed from the congregation.” IUIC has not said anything about Norman’s status in the organization.
Crystal Cash was able to describe Lewis through written notes. She is expected to need surgery before being able to speak again. Her medical condition is otherwise unknown.
This hate crime comes the same week as the murder of transgender woman Deeniquia Dodds, who was fatally shot in the neck in the District of Columbia.
