The Los Angeles Police Department has announced an arrest in connection to the horrifying assault of a transgender woman in West Hollywood this May. The attack—though clearly a hate crime—was caught on a video surveillance camera and is being treated by police as a “possible” hate crime.
22-year-old Vivian Diego suffered a broken jaw, shattered cheekbone and two cracked ribs in the assault, which happened around 2:30 a.m. on May 31 while she was walking toward a Metro station on Hollywood Boulevard. Diego was approached by four men from behind and beaten even after she fell unconscious.
“One of the members of the group ran after Vivian and struck her from behind, knocking her to the ground,” Lt. Marc Reina told CBS Los Angeles. “The remaining members of the group then joined in brutally assaulting Vivian by repeatedly kicking her, even while she lay motionless on the sidewalk.”
Nicol Shakhnazaryan, 21, believed to be one of the attackers, was arrested on felony battery charges related to the event last Thursday. He’s currently being held on $1.05M bail, and the LAPD is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the remaining three assailants.
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Jackhoffsky
My thoughts and heart go out to Vivian and wish her a speedy recovery. I hope they catch the rest of the bastards.
ChiMichael
Such manly men, attacking from behind and then piling on her. /sarc/
I hope they catch the rest of and make examples of them. I’m disgusted that humans would treat another human person this way. She has a long road of healing ahead of her, I wish her the best.
Dionte
What a group of punks.
Billysees
@Jackhoffsky: No. 1
Deserves repeating —
” My [Our] thoughts and heart go out to Vivian and [we] wish her a speedy recovery. I hope they catch the rest of the bastards.
Kangol
I hope they catch Vivian’s assailants and that she has a full, swift recovery.
Raquel Santiago
This is why i always carry a 12 in stiletto with me……