WASHINGTON — A vigil was held Wednesday night for a woman who was killed in an assault earlier this month.
A'nee Roberson, who is a transgender woman, was killed on Oct. 14. DC Police say she was assaulted in the 900 block of U Street around 4 a.m. As a result of the assault, Roberson ended up in the street where she was hit by a passing car and died as a result.
The driver who hit Roberson stayed at the scene and according to police was not involved in the initial assault. Police say her death is not being investigated as a hate crime.
No arrests have been made in her death.
A candlelight vigil was held at the intersection where she was killed on Wednesday.
"Say her name! A'nee Roberson!" people chanted.
Together they lit candles, sang, and released balloons in memory of Roberson. Among those in the crowd, were her parents.
Her father thanked everyone for coming out to honor his daughter. He shared how he first learned that A'nee identified as a woman:
"I found out A'nee felt the way she felt about her life, she was 13. I got off from work early. I never get off work early. I get to my apartment. I walk in the door and A'nee's oldest brother says 'Dad I ain't got nothing to do with it'. I try to go in my bedroom. The door closed as I try to open it. Hard. Boom. I force the door open. I see A'nee, my son in the tightest dress you can imagine. As a father who has always been crazy about the opposite sex, I could not handle it. What did I do? Probably shouldn't have done it, but I did. I dragged A'nee out of my bedroom into the hallway and said you want to be this way might as well let everybody see. Don't hide. One thing you're not gonna do is be in the closet. A'nee took those words and grew with those words. A'nee up until last week was the way she wanted to be. Me, as a dad, I had no choice but to support her. I was not going to seclude A'nee. It was not gonna happen," said Gary Roberson.
He and her mother watched as others shared their memories.
"Anything you would need, you ask A'nee she would give it to you," said Sheray McKay, who says A'nee was her best friend.
"I was sad. I was devastated. I was scared. I was afraid," said Iya Dammons who runs DC Safe Haven. She and others called for unity.
"We gotta come out and support each other," said Earline Budd.
They also called for support from politicians, like Mayor Murial Bowser.
"Where are you, Mayor Bowser? What are you doing to secure these girls' future? What are you doing? Where's Mayor Bowser," asked one person.
"Without a mayor who understands that our representation matters, we're dead to the streets. Our blood is laying in these streets just like A'nee. When I say her name, say her name, A'nee!" said Dammons.
An organization called DC Safe Haven started a GoFundMe to support Roberson's loved ones with expenses.
Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone with information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case.
Anyone who may know more about what happened is asked to call Detective Sean Rutter at 202-657-3102 or Detective Sidney Catlett at 202-302-9651. Anonymous tips can be submitted via the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or text the tip line at 50411.
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