Daniela Calderon-Rivera — a transgender woman and an undocumented immigrant from Honduras — told the Dallas Morning News about the night of Sept. 20 when a man hiding a gun picked up Calderon-Rivera, who's also a sex worker.

"Are you afraid?" the man asked, the paper noted. "Are you afraid of dying tonight?"

Calderon-Rivera, 35, was shot six times, left for dead, and spent weeks in the hospital, the Morning News said.

Transgender woman who was attacked, shot six times speaks out youtu.be

Suspect also is an illegal immigrant



The suspect — 29-year-old Domingo Ramirez-Cayente — is a Mexican citizen in the United States illegally, the paper said, adding that police records say he confessed to shouting derogatory remarks about gay and transgender people before opening fire.

On Sept. 26, Ramirez-Cayente was released from jail on a $25,000 bond, the Morning News said, after which he fled and cannot be found.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said a month ago that Ramirez-Cayente is undocumented and was deported nine years ago, the paper noted, adding that immigrants who reenter the country after deportation may be charged with a felony and get 20 years in federal prison.

"Deputies are actively searching for the subject, and the public is encouraged to contact the sheriff's office if they have any information concerning his location," the Dallas County Sheriff's Department said in a statement, the Morning News reported.

'Trans lives are beautiful lives'

A rally took place Thursday outside a Dallas courthouse aimed at pressuring local and federal law enforcement and Mexican authorities to find Ramirez-Cayente so he can stand trial, the paper said.

Calderon-Rivera told the dozen or so people gathered about the attack's aftermath — including battles with depression and fear, the Morning News noted.

“I would love for there to be justice for me," Calderon-Rivera said, speaking in Spanish, the paper reported. “Emotionally and physically, I'm not doing well. I've been having moments of anxiety and panic. And all I ask for is for justice."

The Rev. Erin Wyma, an associate pastor at Cathedral of Hope, said "trans lives are beautiful lives," the Morning News reported.

Jamie Morales blasted those in the LGBTQ community who weren't there, the paper said: “It's time to wake up. Your brothers and sisters are getting killed."

Angelica Andrade of the North Texas Dream Team — an immigrants rights group — said laws and culture need to change, the Morning News reported, as Texas doesn't protect trans people under hate crime laws: “We must go beyond mourning and take action now."