This morning (August 1), 4th District officers and detectives arrested two suspects responsible for a hate-based strong-arm robbery that occurred this morning at approximately 2:38 a.m. outside the 7-Eleven store located at 11445 Amherst Avenue.

Through the course of the investigation it was learned that the two Hispanic transgender female victims, a 36-year-old from Rockville and a 44-year-old from Fort Washington, had arrived by car at that 7-Eleven store. As the victims attempted to enter the store, both suspects began a verbal confrontation in Spanish using disparaging sexual-orientation-based epithets.

The 36-year-old victim began recording the incident on her cell phone. When one of the suspects became aware of the recording, he threw a cup of noodles that he was holding on the victims. Both suspects grabbed for the cell phone and began punching and kicking the victims. The 36-year-old victim was pushed into the store’s front-glass window, causing a large portion of it to crack. Both victims received medical attention at the 4th District Station for minor injuries.

The suspects obtained the cell phone from the victim and then ran in the direction of Blueridge Avenue. After a broadcast of suspect descriptions, 4th District patrol officers were able to locate the suspects in the area of the 11200 block of Georgia Avenue. After they were positively identified as the wanted suspects, they were taken into custody and charged.

Carlos Hernandez-Sanez, age 18 of an unknown address, and Edras Vasquez, age 20 of an unknown address received the following charges: Hernandez-Sanez was charged with robbery, second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property valued over $1,000, and hate crime CR10-304.1: harassment of a person based on race/religion/sexual orientation which carries a maximum penalty of 3 years and/or $5000. He is being held on a $65,000 bond. Vasquez was charged with robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property valued over $1,000, and two counts of harassment of a person based on race/religion/sexual orientation. He is being held on a $125,000 bond.

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lehb