Police launch hate crime investigation after trans influencers robbed and beaten in brutal transphobic attack
Eden the Doll, Jaslene White Rose and Joslyn Flawless were all robbed by a group of men in Los Angeles. Police are hunting for one of the men (R) and are treating it as a hate crime. (Instagram/LAPD)
The Los Angeles Police Department is on the hunt for a suspect they say brutally beat up, humiliated and robbed three trans influencers early Monday morning (August 18).
Police confirmed Tuesday (August 19) that the savage attack on influencers Eden the Doll, Jaslene White Rose and Joslyn Flawless is being treated as a hate crime.
A statement explained that the suspect approached the three victims at a store at the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard.
He offered to buy them merchandise, but then refused to pay, LAPD said.
According to the police, the suspect returned with a metal bar and demanded the shoes and bracelet of one of the women.
“In fear, the victim complied, the suspect graved her by the hand, and they walked together for a short distance before she was able to escape,” the statement read.
“A short time later, the suspect assaulted one of the original victim’s friends with a bottle and knocked her to the ground.”
Police said the attacker made transphobic remarks towards his victims during the crime. Sharing a picture of the suspect, they said they are looking for a Black male, aged 25, who is around six feet tall and around 180 pounds.
Information on a Robbery-Hate Crime that occurred on Monday, August 17, 2020 at approximately 2:15 a.m., on the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard. Any info contact Hollywood Robbery Detectives at (213) 972-2934. pic.twitter.com/8HA80xYgEv
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) August 19, 2020
Trans influencers left shaken by attack: ‘We thought we were going to die’.
The attack, shared on Eden’s Instagram account, is the latest example of the epidemic of violence inflicted against trans people in the US. The total number of trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people slain this year has already surpassed 2019’s total just seven months in, monitoring groups say.
According to Eden, the incident began when one of the men stole her phone as she and her two friends were waiting for an Uber.
“We initially tried to get it back, but his friends started throwing rocks at us. We tried to run away but they chased us down,” the 25-year-old YouTube star wrote.
Speaking to abc7, Joslyn added: “He’s like, ‘We’re going to find your friends because I’m going to beat y’all up’.”
After she managed to escape, the suspect assaulted Jaslene with a “bottle and knocked her to the ground”.
“I just collapsed to the floor,” Jaslene said.
“There were men saying, ‘Oh, she’s dead’, laughing at me.”
All the while, mobile footage showed, people idly walked by, ignoring the trio’s pleas for someone to call 911.
“We thought we were going to die because the guy had left and he’s going to come back, he has a crowbar,” Eden added.
Police ask anyone with information to contact the LAPD’s Hollywood station at (213) 972-2934.
