RSSCollege campuses often have various forms of security, but unfortunately crime is still a common problem at L.A.’s many institutes of learning. One of the area’s most famous schools, the University of Southern California, was the site of a recent attack that poses many unanswered questions.
On the morning of July 24, a 24-year-old graduate student from China stumbled into his residence on 30th Street after apparently being struck in the head. According to local investigators, the man had been heading home after attending a study group when the alleged assault took place near Orchard and 29th. Officials from USC noted that evidence points to the man having been hit by a blunt object.
A commander with the Los Angeles Police Department mentioned that, following the incident, several people have been arrested. A total of five received criminal charges; four were arrested for homicide while another was arrested in connection with robbery. Of those arrested, three are juveniles.
Despite one person being suspected of robbery, officials emphasized that the motive behind the deadly alleged assault is not yet known. Still, important details about the event continue to emerge, no doubt due to the intense police and media focus on the case. The LAPD commander noted that detectives were working extremely hard on the developing case. They discovered large amounts of blood trailing from the site of the incident to the man’s apartment.
In 2012, a similar incident occurred when two grad students, also from China, were shot during a robbery near the USC campus. Following that attack, both the LAPD as well as USC police amped-up resources to safeguard the university’s South L.A. campus.
After high-publicity incidents like this, police and prosecutors may grow more aggressive in bringing the entire episode to swift close. As a result, proper police protocol may be overlooked in the rush to secure an arrest, or multiple suspects may be grouped-together as equally responsible when that’s not the case.
Contact Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer Jonathan I. Kelman today at 310.286.1218 to learn more about steps to take when accused of a violent crime.