Police spokeswoman Tanya Little said homicide investigators had received a tip on Sunday that led to the arrest of 24-year-old Pedro Redding for his alleged involvement in the murder of Kiesha Jenkins.
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Upon being tipped off to two men, including Redding, known to do robberies, including a violent robbery “similar to this crime”, Clark said investigators found Redding.
A man has been arrested for the murder of the Philadelphia transgender woman Kiesha Jenkins, according to Philadelphia Gay News.
Capt. James Clark of the police homicide division said that minutes before the victim was attacked, she had been dropped off by a vehicle. “But she gave a valiant fight, and that is why one of them pulled out a gun and shot and killed her”.
Though the gang of men targeted a victim in an area known for transgender prostitution, Jenkins’ gender identity likely had nothing to do with her death, authorities believe.
Redding’s next court appearance is his preliminary hearing at the end of the month.
Also, Clark said, Redding has a prior arrest from 2012 for assaulting a transgender woman – though, that woman was not Jenkins.
Police said they continued to seek out the other men allegedly involved in the Jenkins’ death. NBC10’s Drew Smith has the latest details. Jenkins is the second transgender woman murdered in the city this year and by a few counts the 20th murdered nationwide.
“Any time someone is beaten to the ground and shot twice in the back and left for dead, that’s something fueled by hate”, said Nellie Fitzpatrick, Philadelphia’s director of LGBT affairs.
“This has been happening for so long, and it’s hard to see that this is happening to people in my community”, Robinson said.
Information on an attorney for Redding was not immediately available.
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Police were called to the scene amid reports of a robbery.
