Matt Foreman Speaks To JMG Readers

Via Father Tony, outgoing Task Force executive director Matt Foreman speaks a few words of encouragement from the Fort Lauderdale vigil and remembrance of murdered trans teen Simmie Williams.

Ft Lauderdale Diner Owner Offers $5K Reward For Gay-Basher's Identity

Butch Samp, owner of Fort Lauderdale's Floridian Diner, has offered a $5000 reward for information leading to the capture of the person that committed a brutal gay-bashing at his restaurant earlier this week.

Police are looking for a 2002 or similar year, sage green, four-door Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with a bed cover and roll bar. A police report of the incident listed the assailant as 5-foot-10, about 165 pounds with a closely shaved head.

RELATED: Thursday, Feb. 28th, South Florida residents are encouraged to attend the Fight OUT Loud remembrance of 17 year-old Simmie Williams, a transgendered teen murdered on Sistrunk Boulevard this week. Meet at 4:30pm at 1000 Sistrunk for the remembrance, then regroup at the Gay & Lesbian Center at 6:30pm for a town hall meeting with city leaders and elected officials. Our own Father Tony will attend and provide photos for JMG.

Another Trans Teen Killed

From Fort Lauderdale:

The shooting death of a gay teenage boy who was dressed in women's clothing is being investigated as a possible hate crime, while detectives try to determine whether he was targeted because of his sexual orientation.

Simmie Williams Jr., 17, was attacked on the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard by two young men who wore dark clothing and might live in the neighborhood, police said. Williams, who was wearing a dress and was known in the area by his first name or as "Chris" or "Beyonce," was shot about 12:45 a.m. Friday and soon afterward died at Broward General Medical Center, police said.It's unclear what Williams was doing in the area, about four miles from his house, but police are investigating whether he was working as a prostitute, officials said.

Williams' mother said her son was openly gay, but she didn't know what he did when he went out at night, and she didn't know he wore women's clothes.

I'll report back when the police decide if this was a hate crime.