Strangers raise more than $70K for transgender woman hospitalized after shocking West Philly acid attack
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The corrosive liquid, believed to be battery acid, left Diana, a transgender woman, with second and third-degree burns to her face, arms, legs, torso, and neck, according to Philadelphia Police Capt. Robert McKeever, who spoke to local ABC affiliate WPVI. The suspects fled the scene and were later seen on surveillance footage boarding the train at 52nd Street. 'She was walking to her destination with her earphones in,' McKeever said. 'There was no interaction. Nothing led up to this event.'
Related: Two trans women attacked at Minneapolis light rail station as crowd cheered
Diana's friend Shiloh Colon told WPVI that the children 'stopped and then they threw the acid,' echoing Diana's firsthand account. The incident is being investigated by Philadelphia's Southwest Detectives Division, with investigators seeking help from the School District and social media to identify the suspects. No arrests have been made.
After the attack, a GoFundMe campaign organized by Colon surged past its initial $15,000 goal, raising over $72,000 as of Wednesday morning. Most contributions have come from strangers who were moved by Diana's story. Her father, Paul Catanzaro, is listed as the beneficiary. The funds will help cover surgeries, lost wages, and housing while Diana recovers, according to the fundraising site. She remains at Temple Burn Center and is expected to undergo multiple skin grafts.
Related: Transgender business owner in Los Angeles attacked again
'We really strongly believe this was a hate crime,' Colon told WPVI. Police say they are exploring all possible motives.
The attack happened just one day before GLAAD released its annual Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Report, documenting 932 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents from May 2024 to May 2025. According to the report, the 485 anti-trans attacks included at least 24 physical assaults, 209 harassment cases, and multiple bomb threats, all in a climate where protections have eroded. GLAAD notes that the Trump administration's Bureau of Justice Statistics has removed mention of gender identity from key federal reports, while 27 states still lack comprehensive hate crime laws covering LGBTQ+ people.
Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, in a June 6 statement on X (formerly Twitter), denounced the attack and the climate fueling it: 'Young people are not born with hate in their hearts. Instead, the politically motivated, anti-trans hatred spewing out of Washington indoctrinates our kids and incites terrible violence.'
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