$25,000 Reward Offered for Group That Attacked Transgender Woman

[Natasha]

$25,000 Reward Offered for Group That Attacked Transgender Woman

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Police-offer-25000-reward-for-assault-perpetrators-212069961.html
6/19/13
Christina Cocca



Police on Tuesday announced a $25,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of multiple people who seriously assaulted a transgender woman in Hollywood last month.

The victim, known as "Vivian," was assaulted while walking on Hollywood Boulevard about 2:15 a.m. on May 31, police said.

The Los Angeles Police Department released security camera footage that shows multiple males chasing a woman in a red dress down a dark Hollywood Boulevard. The group is seen kicking the victim on the ground before running away.

[Jamie D]

Thugs.  What is worse, no one tried to intervene.

[Carolina1983]

Yeah it pisses me off to see that no one does anything.

[Beth Andrea]

Yeah it pisses me off to see that no one does anything.

Concerns by most people:

"What if they have a gun?"

"What if no one helps ME?"

"I don't want to get involved."

"They might send their friends to my house or workplace."

Yes, "someone" should have gotten involved...but it seems "everyone" waits for "someone" to step in, and "nobody" actually does it. (To paraphrase a motivational safety poster I saw at work once)

I hope the courts nail them to the wall. Upside down. And knee-deep in filth.

[Shantel]

Poor woman! What creeps, hope at least one of them is caught because being a coward he will rat out his creepy friends and they'll get jail time for this hate crime! Hope we get some follow-up on this story!

[Beth Andrea]

One arrested in Hollywood...

One of four people sought in connection with an attack on a transgender woman was arrested just two days after police announced a reward for information in the case, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

...

The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Nicol Shakhnazaryan, was arrested Thursday night in Van Nuys, according to the LAPD. Police are still seeking three others in connection with the attack, which left the victim hospitalized.

Bond was set at $1 million for Shakhnazaryan, a Los Angeles resident. He was booked on suspicion of felony battery.

[Shantel]

Good, the detectives will sweat him and he'll cave in and rat his sorry buddies out so they can do some time too.

[Eva Marie]

That makes me sick to see that; it could have been any one of us walking on that very famous street.

I do hope that justice is quickly and severely served to those thugs.

[Jess42]

I just hope she'll be OK. Just another reminder to us that anything can happen anywhere and to not let our guards down.

[Beth Andrea]

I just hope she'll be OK. Just another reminder to us that anything can happen anywhere and to not let our guards down.

A couple of things, "in hindsight":

First, never go out at night (early morning especially) alone;

Second, always be aware of where you are and who is around you;

Third, have a plan if threatened (even if it's "just a hunch" at some point).



What would you--and you---and YOU (and me!), have done if you found yourself in this situation?

Something to think about.

[Jess42]

A couple of things, "in hindsight":

First, never go out at night (early morning especially) alone;

Second, always be aware of where you are and who is around you;

Third, have a plan if threatened (even if it's "just a hunch" at some point).



What would you--and you---and YOU (and me!), have done if you found yourself in this situation?

Something to think about.

I don't know how it is now but some places on Hollywood and Sunset were pretty rough in the Eighties when I lived there.

As for me though, I would try not to be alone in that area during those times. Carry pepper spray or taser and still 3 on one aren't good odds even with them.

Does anyone know if these were just alcohol enraged tourits or actual residents of the area?

[Shantel]

A couple of things, "in hindsight":

First, never go out at night (early morning especially) alone;

Second, always be aware of where you are and who is around you;

Third, have a plan if threatened (even if it's "just a hunch" at some point).

Always a smart plan!

What would you--and you---and YOU (and me!), have done if you found yourself in this situation?

Something to think about.

My one handed razor sharp buck knife would have opened up the first one to strike me and I'd go after the others and they would become my victims. The surveillance camera would record a crazy, demented, lunatic bitch hurting those poor dear mamma's boys. 

[Joelene9]

  2:15 in the morning?  I don't know about Hollywood, but around here the bars close at 2:00 am.  Not a good time to be about, especially being female.  I have enough problems leaving about that time from the dark sky site on country roads with the farmers, cowboys and now oil workers coming from the honky-tonks in the opposite direction!  Once I reach the interstate, I'm fine, the opposite lane is usually a good 40 yards away.

  Joelene

[Beth Andrea]

  2:15 in the morning?  I don't know about Hollywood, but around here the bars close at 2:00 am.  Not a good time to be about, especially being female.  I have enough problems leaving about that time from the dark sky site on country roads with the farmers, cowboys and now oil workers coming from the honky-tonks in the opposite direction!  Once I reach the interstate, I'm fine, the opposite lane is usually a good 40 yards away.

  Joelene

Assuming the bars close at 0200, walking home at 0215 is quite possible. However, I don't accept the idea that "after 0200 the streets belong to the criminals." The bad guys were at the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing.

Having said that, of course there are somethings she could've done to make it safer...call a cab for one. Go home earlier, go out with friends, or some other plan. But let's not blame her for what happened.

[Shantel]

Assuming the bars close at 0200, walking home at 0215 is quite possible. However, I don't accept the idea that "after 0200 the streets belong to the criminals." The bad guys were at the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing.

Having said that, of course there are somethings she could've done to make it safer...call a cab for one. Go home earlier, go out with friends, or some other plan. But let's not blame her for what happened.

She may have been a sex worker looking to turn a trick.

[Beth Andrea]

She may have been a sex worker looking to turn a trick.

True (and pretty likely, imho). The assault is still not her fault.

[suzifrommd]

She may have been a sex worker looking to turn a trick.

Could be. I personally couldn't say for sure what I would or wouldn't do if there were no other way to pay for HRT.

[Shantel]

Could be. I personally couldn't say for sure what I would or wouldn't do if there were no other way to pay for HRT.

I've known a few that have gone that route, not that I'd recommend it, but people who are desperate do things they wouldn't normally do and no-one can cast any stones at them for it.

[Jamie D]

A related article:

Transgender woman brutally beaten in Hollywood refuses to let attack defeat her

"As you can see, I'm still fabulous"

Despite suffering a broken jaw, cracked ribs and a shattered cheekbone in a brutal beating in Hollywood, Vivian Diego's spirit is not broken.

The transgender female was walking down Hollywood Boulevard on 21 May when a group of four men attacked her in what is being investigated as a hate crime....

The attack occurred near the Metro stop at Hollywood and Ivar after Diego left her job as a barista at Beso restaurant.

Video report at the link

[Beth Andrea]

I'm glad to hear she's doing ok.