AJ Trager
WASHINGTON D.C. – UPDATE: The U.S. Attorney's office upheld the decision to classify Klaiber's stabbing of the 15-year-old girl as a hate crime. Superior Court Judge Karen Howze has ordered Klaiber to be held in jail until he appears in court on Aug. 6 for a preliminary hearing. No plea offer has been made in this case, as of Aug. 4.
A 15-year-old transgender girl was stabbed in the back July 30, while riding the Green Line on D.C.'s Metro transit. She was traveling with friends when another passenger got on the train and started taunting her, until his hatred escalated and the innocent teen was hospitalized for injury.
The 24-year-old suspect Reginald Anthony Klaiber came onto the train and immediately started harassing the young girl, calling her names and asking about her physical appearance, specifically commenting on her wig and saying things like "ooh you ugly. Are you a boy? Are you a boy? Why you be looking like a girl?" the girl's friends report.
Witnesses say they heard the suspect taunt the teenager for being transgender. As the train pulled into the station Klaiber bear-hugged the girl, grabbing her from behind and stabbed her in the back, witnesses report.
"This crazy man he got on the train. And I don't know, he was on something," victim's friend reported to News4. "And he pulled out a knife and he stabbed my friend. And that's when I maced him."
Police were waiting for the suspect once the train pulled into the station. The teenager and her friends ran after the stabbing with the suspect chasing after them. Witnesses report Klaiber saying, "I'm going to [stab you] again!" Klaiber was apprehended after he had attempted to get away.
The charges of assault with a deadly weapon could include the district's enhanced hate crime penalty which would add a 1.5 time enhancement to his charge under D.C. law for being hate or bias motivated.
Officials say the teenage girl is doing fine and will recover from this horrific experience.
