Man who said Trump should ‘kill all trans people’ sentenced for anti-trans hate crime

A Seattle man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a violent hate crime attack against a transgender woman in the city’s University District.

Andre Karlow was convicted on Friday (13 March) of a second-degree assault and committing a hate crime for attacking Andie Holcepl in March 2025.

Holcepl testified that she encountered Karlow and several other men while walking to a Seattle Mariners opening day game.

Prosecutors said Karlow shouted insults and called her a “drag queen” before punching her in the mouth when she attempted to record the harassment.

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Witnesses said multiple attackers then punched and kicked her while shouting anti-transgender slurs.

Holcepl suffered broken teeth, facial injuries, and a brain bleed before escaping to a restaurant for help.

Jurors determined the assault met Washington state’s legal definition of a hate crime, concluding Holcepl was targeted because of her gender identity.

During sentencing in King County Superior Court, prosecutors also referenced a recorded jail call in which Karlow said: “If I didn’t hate trans people before, I do now, absolutely. I think that Donald Trump should kill them all. Get them out of here. They’re weird.”

Assistant prosecutor Yessenia Manzo told the court that attacks like the one on Holcepl reinforce fears many transgender people feel about their safety in public spaces.

The University District assault was not the only case tied to Karlow. In 2024, he punched a transgender fare ambassador working for Sound Transit after being asked to verify his fare at a station.

A jury convicted him of fourth-degree assault in that case but did not reach a verdict on a hate crime charge.

According to reports, Karlow appeared largely remorseless during sentencing proceedings as the judge imposed an 84-month prison term for the 2025 attack.

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