Suspect used slur prior to trans woman’s shooting, report says

A man had referred to a transgender woman by a slur prior to shooting her after an argument Monday night in Henderson, an arrest report said.

Monday night’s argument at an apartment complex on the 1000 block of American Pacific Drive, near Gibson Road, stemmed from the man flicking cigarette butts from an apartment, according to a statement the victim made to police.

“The male told (her) ‘I have something for you,’” then left and returned shortly with a handgun, she told police, adding that he shot her in the neck about 6 p.m. and ran.

The man, whom police identified as Kenneth Lamont Martin, 44, was dating a woman who lives in the complex and moved in with her earlier this month. Upon finding out that a neighbor was transgender, he allegedly referred to her as a “trans (expletive),” and told his girlfriend not to bring one of her gay friends around him, according to an interview with the girlfriend included in the report.

It wasn’t clear in the report when that conversation may have taken place in relation to the shooting.

The woman, 43, was hospitalized at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center for her injuries. A doctor at the medical center determined the bullet was lodged in a place where it couldn’t be immediately removed. She was treated and released from the hospital.

Martin faces a charge of attempted murder with a deadly weapon. The charge has a hate crime enhancement, which, if he’s convicted, could carry a lengthier sentence.

Martin’s bail was set at $150,000 on Wednesday, court records show. He has an arraignment scheduled Monday in Henderson Justice Court.

Police found a single shell casing, her broken cellphone and a blood trail at the scene.

Martin was taken into custody Tuesday morning at a shopping center parking lot near East Silverado Ranch Boulevard and South Maryland Parkway, the report said.

Police had initially identified the woman shot as a man, but a department spokeswoman clarified the next day that she was a woman.

Martin declined an interview with police, instead asking for an attorney.

An attempt to reach the woman at her home midday Wednesday was unsuccessful.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.