A transgender woman was fatally shot in the head early Thursday morning in East Hollywood, in what authorities told BuzzFeed News was an attempted robbery "that went terribly wrong."
Local media reports indicate the victim was a transgender woman. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson couldn't confirm the victim's gender identity, but said the victim was in her mid-40s and black.
Police discovered the victim around 2:30 a.m. local time with a gunshot wound to the temple after responding to reports of gunfire in the 600 block of North Kenmore Avenue, the LAPD spokesperson said.
The woman was then taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead, according to a report by The Los Angeles Times.
According to police, four suspects — described only as Hispanic men — attempted to rob the victim and fled on foot. Police said it is unknown if the incident was gang-related.
Additionally, a police spokesperson said it's too early to determine whether the victim was targeted because of her gender identity and whether it should be considered a hate crime.