Man Found Guilty of Attack on Trans Woman in U-District

Andre Karlow convicted of second-degree assault and hate crime for beating a trans woman in Seattle last March

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A jury has convicted Andre Karlow of second-degree assault and a hate crime for the unprovoked attack on a trans woman named Andy Holcepl in Seattle's University District last March. Prosecutors argued that Karlow beat Holcepl because of her transgender identity, while the defense claimed Karlow did not know Holcepl was trans and that it was a mutual fight, not an attack. Holcepl suffered severe injuries including a brain bleed, fractured teeth, and facial disfigurement.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges and dangers that transgender individuals face in public spaces, as well as the importance of hate crime laws in protecting vulnerable communities. The attack on Holcepl is part of a broader pattern of violence and discrimination against trans people, which advocacy groups say has been on the rise in recent years.

The details

According to prosecutors, Holcepl was walking to meet her partner for a Mariners game when she encountered a group of four men who were catcalling young girls. The group then turned their attention to Holcepl, hurling anti-transgender slurs at her. The encounter then turned violent, with Karlow and the others allegedly punching Holcepl in the face, throat, and teeth, and kicking her repeatedly after taking her to the ground. Holcepl suffered severe injuries, including a brain bleed, fractured teeth, and facial disfigurement.

  • The attack occurred just after 6 p.m. last March.
  • The trial started last week and concluded on Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Andre Karlow

The defendant who was found guilty of second-degree assault and a hate crime for the attack on Andy Holcepl.

Andy Holcepl

The trans woman who was severely beaten by Karlow and his group in the University District.

Yessenia Manzo

The King County prosecutor who argued the case against Karlow.

Maxwell Evans

The defense attorney representing Karlow.

Judge Jim Rogers

The judge who ruled that evidence of Karlow's recorded phone call expressing hatred for trans people was inadmissible.

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What they’re saying

“Andy was able to identify him, without question, without hesitancy, with full confidence. She said she was 100% sure that it was Mr. Karlow who had punched her in the face. She said she was 100% sure that it was Mr. Karlow, sitting in this courtroom, who was the main aggressor.”

— Yessenia Manzo, King County Prosecutor (mynorthwest.com)

“You do not have to find that Ms. Holcepl is lying, just that she's not credible. She may have misperceived things, misremembered things. That's reason to doubt her credibility.”

— Maxwell Evans, Defense Attorney (mynorthwest.com)

“Andy just wanted to go to the game with her partner, but instead she went to the hospital with her face disfigured, her teeth fractured, and a brain bleed. That is how severely Mr. Karlow beat her. And all because she had the audacity to exist in public as herself.”

— Yessenia Manzo, King County Prosecutor (mynorthwest.com)

“They were holding me down and kicking me and kicking me. I was trying to cover my face, and I was trying to plead with them to stop.”

— Andy Holcepl (mynorthwest.com)

“I remember when I went to the restroom, and I looked in the mirror to see what happened. I think that's when the pain started coming.”

— Andy Holcepl (mynorthwest.com)

What’s next

Karlow faces a separate hate crime case in King County for allegedly using anti-transgender slurs and attacking a transgender Sound Transit fare enforcement officer in September 2024. The judge in the current case will also decide on Tuesday whether to allow Karlow out on bail.

The takeaway

This case underscores the ongoing violence and discrimination that transgender individuals face, and the importance of hate crime laws in protecting vulnerable communities. It also highlights the challenges in prosecuting such cases, as the defense argued that Karlow did not know Holcepl was trans, despite evidence of his expressed hatred for trans people.