Los Angeles police arrest suspect in alleged attacks against transgender woman
The Los Angeles Police Department arrested a suspect in connection with a series of attacks against a transgender woman, according to Los Angeles ABC Station KABC. The most recent incident took place over the weekend.
The name of the suspect in custody, who was apprehended on May 27, was not immediately released. Two other suspects in the case remain at large, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told KABC.
Police released photos of the three suspects and said that an initial attack and sexual assault allegedly took place on April 8, while the most recent attacks that police believe to be "perpetrated by the same individuals" allegedly took place at around 11:38 p.m. local time on Saturday.
"[The suspects] returned to the victim's location and physically assaulted her, inflicting serious injuries. The suspects fled the scene before officers arrived," the LAPD said in a statement released on Sunday.
Police said the victim is a 61-year-old transgender woman but did not disclose her identity. However, the victim of the alleged attacks -- Sabrina de la Peña -- came forward in an April 28 interview with KABC.
De la Peña, a small business owner in the Westlake neighborhood, recounted the alleged April 8 attack. She told KABC she believed that being transgender made her a target.
She said that the first suspect came into her store and attempted to flirt with her but became angry when she turned him away.
"He pushed me down... on the floor and we start fighting on the floor," she said.
According to an April 28 police statement, "the suspect sexually assaulted the victim and discovered she was a transgender woman. The suspect pulled away and threatened to kill the victim."
"Subsequently, the same suspect returned to the location multiple times with additional suspects and committed hate crimes against the victim," police said.
According to police, during one incident the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a skateboard, and on another occasion, he pepper-sprayed her. During a third incident, the suspect allegedly "threw an unknown liquid at the victim while another suspect attempted to stun her with a Taser," police said.
De la Peña said that after the initial incident on April 8, the suspect allegedly returned the next day with another man and beat her with a skateboard.
"He take me to the alley, out my door...and he beating me," she told KABC. "I think he hate transgender women because he tell me many times... 'I'm gonna kill you.'"
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying the two remaining suspects and urging people to review the photos and share any tips with LAPD Rampart Division Detectives at (213) 484-3495.
