LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Police today announced the arrest of a 29-year-old man for an alleged robbery and assault hate crime against YouTube star Eden the Doll and two other transgender social media influencers in Hollywood.
Carlton Callway was arrested “in relation to the robbery/hate crime,'' the Los Angeles Police Department said. A second man was also arrested, but his involvement was not immediately clear.
Eden Estrada, whose online persona is Eden the Doll, was waiting for an Uber with Joslyn Flawless and Jaslene Whiterose about 2:15 a.m. Monday when Callway approached them, according to the victims' social media posts and the LAPD. He offered to buy them merchandise at a store in the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard, near Wilcox Avenue, but refused to pay and the women left, police said.
He approached them again with a metal bar and demanded one of the women's shoes and bracelet. She complied out of fear, and the suspect grabbed her hand and forced her to walk a short distance with him before she could escape, police said.
He then assaulted a second victim with a bottle, knocking her to the ground, according to police.
“He held a crow bar to my face and threatened to kill me unless I stripped my shoes off and gave him my jewelry and all my (possessions),'' Joslyn Flawless said on Instagram.
“He said if I was trans, he would kill me. He then forced me to hold his hand while he looks for my friends to kill them for being trans.''
The victims said the man took their phones, wallets and purses.
“It was absolutely the worst day of my life,'' Estrada told CBS2, adding she believes it was a targeted attack.
“My friend completely collapsed,'' Estrada said. “I'm not a doctor. I don't know if she's breathing. I'm trying my hardest to help her. I'm begging people for help. I'm screaming for help.''
Estrada said on social media that bystanders walked past the victims and did not stop to help, and some witnesses are seen on video laughing at the women.
A video on social media also shows an LAPD vehicle driving by and not stopping.
Members of the public asked LAPD officials during Tuesday's Los Angeles Police Commission virtual meeting why an officer drove by without stopping, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Police Chief Michel Moore told the commission that the incident and the department's response was being reviewed.
Photo: Los Angeles Police Department