A Philadelphia woman, only identified as Diana, was injured by three unidentified individuals who, allegedly, attacked her with an acid-like chemical, causing her to suffer third-degree burns to her body. It is believed that the suspects are as young as eight years old.
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According to WPVI, the attack occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 1. Cpt. Robert McKeever, with the Philadelphia Police Department, reported that Diana was walking down the street while wearing her headphones after getting off the Market/Frankford Line.
“There was no interaction, nothing led up to this event,” McKeever said.
One of Diana’s friends, Shiloh Colon, told the outlet that the individuals approached her, stopped, and then threw the acid at her. Reportedly, the chemical was so strong that it caused second and third-degree burns to Diana’s body, including her face, neck, arms, torso, and legs.
“It was such excruciating pain, and I’m sure she went into shock. Immediately,” Colon added.
Diana is now recovering from her severe burns at the Temple Hospital Burn Center.
Suspects At Large
Regarding the suspects, who remain at large, they have yet to be identified. Photos and videos were shared with WPVI by investigators. According to McKeever, all suspects are juveniles.
“In my opinion, they were anywhere from 8-12 years old,” McKeever added.
In addition to the suspects, police are also investigating the other juveniles who were caught on the train platform before the alleged attack. Investigators are currently monitoring social media and plan to contact the School District of Philadelphia in an attempt to identify the suspects.
The chemical itself is also being investigated.
“That would be part of the investigation, where they got it at, why they had it,” McKeever said.
A motive behind the attack is still unclear, with police believing it might have been a random attack. However, Colon believes it was a hate crime, as Diana is a transgender woman. Furthermore, Colon revealed that Diana was headed to a Pride Month celebration with friends.
“I think she’s going to come out of this stronger,” Colon added. “I’m very, very proud of her.”
A GoFundMe was set up to help cover surgery, medical, and other expenses for Diana.