Authorities say one man has been arrested on suspicion of participating in a series of violent hate crimes against a trans shop owner in Westlake who was sexually assaulted on a skateboard, sprayed peppers, punched, struck and struck. The other two suspects remain large.
Sabrina de la Pena, 61, told the Times she has been running a convenience store across the street from MacArthur Park for nearly 30 years without being threatened by customers.
That was until April 8, when she sexually assaulted her after she refused to make her progress, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. After the initial attack, police say he returned to her shop and attacked her multiple times along with two other suspects.
“My life has changed a lot. For almost 30 years I felt safe,” de la Pena said. “Now I’m full of so many fears and panic. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.”
LAPD announced Tuesday that 30-year-old Samuel Paros has been arrested in connection with the attack and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. Police have released photos of the remaining two suspects and are seeking the public’s help in identifying them.
After the first transphobic encounter on April 8, Delapeña said that she thought her nightmare had ended, but the next night the man and two others attacked her at her shop. Surveillance camera footage of the incident shows a man repeatedly punching her and hitting her on a skateboard.
On April 16, Delapeña sprayed peppers by the same attacker. On April 19th, one man threw an unknown liquid at her, and another man tried to intrude her.
LAPD first released surveillance camera photos of the three men on April 28th, asking for the public’s help in identifying them.
Images from a LAPD news release of three suspects sought after repeated attacks on transgender women in the Westlake area.
On May 27, police arrested Paros, but the attack did not stop.
Delapeña was attacked again at her shop on Saturday while Paros was in custody. LAPD investigators believe the two remaining suspects are responsible for the latest attack, and the shopkeeper was seriously injured.
Anyone with information or who has been a victim of other attacks can call the LAPD Lampart Detective at (213) 484-3495 or call the Crime Stopper at (800) 222-8477.
A report from Cerys Davies’ fellow members contributed to this report.
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