Woman stabbed in Hollywood while photographing transients identified

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

The woman fatally stabbed in Hollywood’s tourist district has been identified.

Christine Calderon, 23, of Lynwood died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center early Wednesday after being attacked the night before by transients at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

Calderon and a friend were attacked while taking pictures of transients holding offensive signs while begging for money in Hollywood, Los Angeles police said.

The assault occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday at Hollywood and Highland, where attractions such as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre draw in tens of thousands of tourists annually.

Calderon and her friend began taking pictures with their cellphones after spotting the transients holding signs with obscenities on them while asking for money, according to sources familiar with the case who asked not to be identified because the investigation is ongoing.

The transients demanded money from the two and when the pair refused, they were attacked, officials said. The attackers, believed to be between 27 and 34 years old, were booked Wednesday on suspicion of murder.

Authorities said Calderon was stabbed at least once and died hours later at the hospital during surgery.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact West Bureau Homicide at (213) 382-9470.

For the record, 9:23 p.m., June 19: A previous version of this post identified the victim as Christina Calderon and referred to Cedar-Sinai Medical Center.

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