Police: 1 Arrested In Murder Of Transgender Woman
By Kristen Johanson, Rahel Solomon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police held a press conference Monday to say they've made an arrest in the murder of a transgender woman last week, and they are looking for more suspects.
Officials say 24-year-old Pedro Redding has been charged with murder and related charges, for killing Keisha Jenkins last Tuesday morning.
Police say the 22-year-old was found beaten and shot inside Hunting Park, at 13th and Wingohocking Streets.
Homicide Captain James Clark say they are looking for three others involved in the murder.
Clark says Redding confessed to being involved. He told detectives the group began to beat Jenkins, and when she put up a fight, they shot her. He was not the shooter.
"She did fight back, as they were assaulting her, and you are talking about four on one. But she gave a valiant fight, and that is why one of them pulled out a gun and shot and killed her."
Clark says the group was known to frequent the area to rob people.
There is a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, anyone with information is asked to call police.
As CBS 3's Rahel Solomon reports, police say the don't think this was a hate crime. They believe it was an attempted robbery that went horribly wrong.
"While she was on the ground, one them pulled out a gun and shot her two times in the back," said Capt. Clark.
Police say it happened October 6th on the 1300 block of Wingohocking Street just after 2:30 a.m.
"It was sad, that's somebody's child regardless. It's sad, that shouldn't happen to anybody," said a neighbor.
Police say they believe three others including the alleged gunman are still out there.
Redding is being held without bail.
