Transgender woman in L.A. begs for police help after 6 violent assaults
A 61-year-old transgender woman in L.A.'s Westlake District has endured repeated violent beatings by several suspects who police say continue to return, most recently leaving her badly injured and stealing tens of thousands of dollars from her.
Sabrina de la Peña has run a second-floor convenience store in the Westlake District for the last 30 years.
Since an April 8 encounter in her store where one of the suspects sexually assaulted her, learned she was a transgender woman and threatened to kill her, she says the same man, as well as others, have brutally attacked her six times.
Surveillance footage captured one of the hard-to-watch assaults where the soon to be 62-year-old was beaten with a skateboard, pepper sprayed, doused with an unknown substance and dragged onto the balcony outside her store while being attacked and trying to defend herself.
'I can't live without thinking every day, 'What time they're going to appear again and hit me,'' De la Peña, who believes her gender identity is why the men continue to assault her, said.
Authorities with the Los Angeles Police Department, who are asking for the public's help in identifying the suspects, say the most recent attack occurred May 31 at around 11:30 p.m.
In surveillance footage of the latest attack, De la Peña's screams for help can be heard from outside her store as two male suspects rush through the door, throwing brutal punches at the woman.
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De la Peña told KTLA's Rachel Menitoff that this time her attackers, who kicked her to the ground, beat her, badly split open her lip and stole $30,000 cash from her, brought a gun.
'He tried shooting me twice, but the gun didn't shoot,' she said.
A security guard came to her defense and chased the two men off, but De la Peña said she recognized at least one of them.
'I recognize the guy,' she said. 'I know it's the same people that always come.'
Police confirmed to KTLA that they believe the same suspects continue to attack the 61-year-old shopkeeper, with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell expected to address the investigation at a news conference on Tuesday.
De la Peña said she needs more protection from police and that at her age, it becomes difficult and more expensive to simply walk away from her livelihood and move.
'This is the sixth attack. Believe me. When are you going to do something for me? What are you waiting for? You're waiting for them to kill me,' she asked. 'They tried to kill me.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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