Rally held at Hopkins High School after alleged attack on transgender student

MINNETONKA, Minn. – Dozens of people gathered outside Hopkins High School Wednesday after an alleged attack that Minnetonka police are investigating as a possible hate crime.

Family members say 17-year-old Cobalt Sovereign of WCCO, a transgender girl and a junior at the school, was first called a homophobic slur before being attacked outside the restroom Thursday. The ruler uses she/them pronouns, depending on his family.

Their father took her to the hospital where doctors told the family she had several broken jaws and broken teeth. Their family says she is recovering but still cannot eat solid foods.

Several LGBTQIA+ family support groups, including the Queer Equity Institute and Transforming Families, showed their support Wednesday while also expressing frustration with the district, alleging they tried to keep the attack a secret.

Their older brother, Wilder Sovereign, says his family fears she may suffer head trauma.

“Frankly, she experienced glimmers of transphobia before this, quite naturally, as most, if not all trans people do,” Wilder Sovereign said. “But it's never been this bad. It's never gone as far as full-on assault. So I'm disgusted by this side of our community.”

In a letter to families, Director Crystal Ballard said the attack had not yet been officially considered a hate crime. She went on to say that even the idea of ​​an attack of this nature can be traumatic, and she pledges that the district will work to create safe spaces for staff and students from LGBTQIA+ families.

District officials released a statement saying in part: “Hopkins Public Schools is an inclusive community that values ​​diversity and inclusion. » They also said they would address “any issues compromising safety and inclusiveness in our school environment.”

In a letter to district parents, officials added that they would work with police to “minimize any impact on the school day during the rally” and although they were not directly involved in organizing the rally, they said they “support a rally that draws attention to what is wrong in the world.” »

District officials tell WCCO they can no longer share information due to student privacy laws, including the name of the other student involved or whether disciplinary action has already been taken.

Police say they were informed “a few hours after the attack took place”, and the investigation is ongoing.