L.A. officials blast 'callous’ bystanders who filmed attack on trans YouTube star and her friends

By Jaclyn Peiser
8/21/2020, 6:16:33 a.m.

Armed with a crowbar, a man in a black tank top approached Joslyn Allen on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles just after 2 a.m. on Monday, spewing hateful slurs. “He literally grabs my hand and pulls me,” Allen, who is a transgender woman, told KABC. “He’s like ‘We’re going to find your friends because I’m going to beat y’all up.' ”

Allen got away. But the man soon found her friends, Jaslene Busanet and Eden Estrada, who has a large following on YouTube as Eden the Doll. He hurled hate speech at the women, who are also transgender, and hit Busanet over the head with a bottle, knocking her to the ground, according to police.

All the while, a crowd of onlookers stood by, watching and recording the repeated verbal and physical assaults, with many yelling their own transphobic insults at the women.

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Thursday that they had found the man responsible for the crime, which inspired dozens to march in support of the victims and led city officials this week to slam the bystanders for failing to help the women.

Police arrested 29-year-old Carlton Callway on robbery and assault charges, calling Callway’s actions a hate crime. Authorities said in a news conference Thursday that the suspect bragged about the assault on social media. Police also identified two other men allegedly involved in the incident, charging Willie Walker, 42, with extortion. Police are still searching for a third suspect, Davion Williams, 22, who is wanted for assault.

-snip-