On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, an incident occurred at the West Hollywood library during the “Drag Story Hour” where a victim was assaulted, and his phone was robbed and vandalized during a protest. West Hollywood Station Detectives later identified one of the suspects as Hunter Lee Darling who is also known as Xodiak Rose. On May 31, 2023, an arrest warrant for Darling was issued by a judge.
On Saturday, June 3, 2023, deputies saw Darling during a “Pride Weekend” event. Because of the location of the suspect and event, West Hollywood deputies devised a plan to quickly and safely take the suspect into custody. West Hollywood deputies arrested Darling and booked them at West Hollywood Station for robbery, vandalism, and battery. During Darling’s arrest, Abby Nicole Thomas, a friend of Darling’s, intervened and prevented the deputies from safely completing the arrest. Thomas was also arrested and booked for interfering and obstructing an arrest.
The District Attorney’s Office filed a vandalism charge against Darling. Charges for Thomas are pending filing with the District Attorney’s Office.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department prides itself on a Tradition of Service to our Community. It is our job to bring offenders to justice in the safest way possible for our entire Community. In addition to the criminal investigation regarding the suspects, the Department also conducts other administrative reviews. The Department is always reviewing our performance to enhance our service to our Community. Providing the best service to our Community and keeping people safe is our primary focus which includes a great partnership and transparency with our Community.
On Friday, June 9, 2023, I had the opportunity to meet with LGBTQ+ Leaders regarding the Transgender Community at my office and a great discussion ensued. As Sheriff of Los Angeles County, it is my commitment to improve relationships with our Transgender Community and every Community that we serve in Los Angeles County. We want to hear all voices and build coalitions with our Community Partners.
We are currently in the process of setting up a LGBTQ+ Advisory Working Group for the Sheriff’s Department. This group will serve as an advocacy group for concerns of the LGBTQ+ Community and make recommendations to improve training and our service to the LGBTQ+ Community.
We have a newer curriculum of LGBTQ+ Training which is approved by the California State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). We are always looking at ways to enhance and improve our training that we provide for our personnel.
This training will eventually be expanded to the entire Department. At each of our Sheriff Stations, we will seek Community input to fashion an addendum to the LGBTQ+ Training that will be area specific to each Sheriff’s Station area.
Upon my recommendation, we are starting quarterly meetings with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station and our Transgender Community. This is an opportunity to build relationships, resolve issues, and improve training. We want to change the paradigm, not only for our West Hollywood Community, but for our entire Los Angeles County Community. We want our Sheriff’s Stations to be considered safe places for everyone.
We believe in integrity, accountability, and collaboration. These are the commitments we make to our entire Los Angeles County Community and the tenets on which we build our Tradition of Service.
Robert Luna
Los Angeles County Sheriff
There are good gender standard people and bad one’s
Same with trans. This is implying there is now more danger from Trans people.
Words matter. We need to support our trans community/family especially with anti Trans laws going up across the country.
[…] Sheriff’s department recently arrested the suspect in a political assault that occurred when a left-wing protester struck a right-wing protester at […]
The crime in south LA has spread to west Hollywood/Beverly Hills . The pandemic mask wearing created the perfect storm. It is the wild, wild west out there today and NOT in a fun way west Hollywood is accustom to. The crime is out o control and law enforcement can do little to apprehend the dangerous robberies, mugging, killings etc…. without be charged themself for assault or worse all for stopping the bad awful drug dealer, robbers, killers responsible for the plight of these once safe living areas. The George Floyd case was the tipping point. His arrest and ultimate… Read more »
I’m a curious and opinionated guy, and I love to talk with colorful people like the activists who were arrested. Do you support medical freedom or forced vaccines? Are you pro-police or are all cops bastards? High minimum wage or less government regulation? Let’s debate!
…Oh, wait, you condone political violence against those you disagree with? And cry foul when held to the same legal standard as the rest of us? Never mind, opinion discarded.
These agitators have been flooding the woke incubator sites like Daily Kos with misleading “reports” alleging police bias and conspiracy while downplaying the assault at drag queen story hour by one of their own that kicked it all of.
Imagine that: people who enable/refuse to denounce political violence are suddenly the victims of…political violence! Freedom of speech is a two way street. Time to take a crash course in ethics 101, antifa.
Them? More than one person?
What is a “ghose” ?
I can’t tell if it’s a combo of a ghost and a silly goose, or a typo apparently, that’s what I get for using my phone while responding to room temperatures.
It’s a ghost from the great city of Baltimore, duh!
My thought exactly.
Ain’t he a DARLING? Mazel Tov LASD!!!!! Thank You!
After all the screams from some without knowing the facts. Great job, Weho Sheriffs!
Can you imagine the horror of being a police officer in West Hollywood?
They hate it
Of course they do. It’s a magnet for the bizarre.
At one time it was considered a country club assignment, now it seems like doom island 🙄😨or chamber of horrors.😱
Finally. The Sheriff is Constitutionally mandated to protect everyone’s freedom of political assembly and expression without being assaulted.
A person was charged with a crime and was arrested pursuant to a warrant. End of story. It has nothing to do with the person’s identity or where the arrest occurred.
Thank you Sheriff’s deputies for enforcing the law.