Montgomery County Police arrested two suspects in connection with a hate-based strong-arm robbery outside of a 7-Eleven store early Monday.
Police said two transgender women drove to the store, located at 11445 Amherst Avenue, and as they attempted to enter, the suspects began a verbal confrontation in Spanish using “disparaging sexual-orientation-based epithets.”
One of the victims, a 36-year-old from Rockville, recorded the incident on her cell phone. As she recorded, one of the suspects threw a cup of noodles that he was holding on the victims. Both suspects then grabbed for the cell phone and began punching and kicking the victims, according to police. In the scuffle, the 36-year-old woman was pushed into the store's front-glass window, causing a large portion of it to crack.
Both victims received medical attention for minor injuries.
The suspects took the victim’s cell phone and ran toward Blueridge Avenue. They were later apprehended near the 11200 block of Georgia Avenue and taken into custody.
The suspects have been identified at Carlos Hernandez-Sanez, 18 and Edras Vasquez, 20. Both have been charged with robbery, second-degree assault, destruction of property and harassment.
Hernandez-Sanez is being held on a $65,000 bond. Vasquez is being held on a $125,000 bond.
