File photo. Police are investigating the incident.

Police in Washington, DC, are searching for a gun-wielding man who threatened three trans women and demanded oral sex.

The incident occurred outside the Casa Ruby community centre, which caters to local LGBT+ people and particularly transgender people of colour, on Saturday (June 17).

Man ‘demanded oral sex’ from trans women

According to the Washington Blade, the man challenged an employee of Casa Ruby and three trans women who had been outside a restaurant across the street.

The man demanded sex and threatened the victims with a gun, according to a police report.

According to police, he said: “‘I want my d**k sucked, go get me one of those trannies.”

The victims fled after being approached by the man.

“We will not be your target. We are not going to tolerate violence.” — Ruby Corado

Casa Ruby director Ruby Corado said that the centre immediately called the police, but the man drove off before officers could arrive.

In a Facebook video, she explained: “Not even 48 hours after [trans woman and former Casa Ruby shelter resident] Zoe Spears was murdered, a dude pulled up outside Casa Ruby and pulls a gun.”

Targeted violence against trans people, says community head

Corado said that she believes the man was targeting trans women “based on what he said and talked about.”

She added: “For people who may not believe that this is a real threat, it’s real… where we get to celebrate, and where all of us get to celebrate Pride and come out and be proud, the haters are having a fit.

“They don’t have the balls to do it in front of thousands of people, so what do they do? They figure out the place where the most vulnerable are and they show off.

“If any of the haters are listening to me, I’m not scared. I will not hide, I will not live in fear. I’m going to protect my people.”

Corado added: “We will not be your target. We are not going to tolerate violence.”

She vowed to install more security cameras at Casa Ruby, which also faced a spate of vandalism in 2017.

Casa Ruby’s bilingual staff members provide hot meals, support groups, clothes and emergency housing referrals to some of DC’s most impoverished citizens.