On Thursday, Los Angeles County offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to two suspects who repeatedly attacked a transgender store owner in the Westlake District.
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Police have described the series of assaults against the woman as hate crimes and they have been asking for the public's help in locating two young males suspected of assaulting the 61-year-old victim multiple times.
A third suspect, identified as 30-year-old Samuel Parros, was arrested May 27, but two other suspects remain at large.
The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.
The first alleged crime took place April 8, when a suspect entered the victim's store, flirted with her, and later punched her to the ground after she rejected his advances, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The suspect later discovered the victim was a transgender woman and sexually assaulted her before he pulled away and threatened to kill her, police said.
The same suspect allegedly returned to the location multiple times with additional suspects and committed hate crimes against the victim, which involved one of the suspects striking the victim with a skateboard, deploying pepper spray, and throwing an unknown liquid substance at the victim as another suspect attempted to stun her with a Taser.
Police believe the same individuals returned to the victim's location around 11:40 p.m. May 31 and physically assaulted her, inflicting "serious injuries."
The suspects left the scene before police arrived.
"This violent hate crime has no place in our neighborhoods," County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who sponsored the reward motion, said in a statement. "Now more than ever, we must reject hate and safeguard our most vulnerable communities, which include our transgender and LGBTQ+ Angelenos. I encourage anyone who may have information to please come forward."
Photos of the suspects can be viewed here:
Anyone with additional information regarding the crimes was urged to call detectives at 213-484-3495. Calls during non-business hours or weekends should be made to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
