Two students of the University of Southern California leave flowers at the scene where two international students from China were shot dead on Wednesday in a "gang-infested" area near the university in Los Angeles, California.
From Los Angeles Times:
USC students killed: 1 shot while running for help; gunman sought
A gunman opened fire on a BMW near the USC campus Wednesday, killing two international students from China in a bungled robbery attempt, police said.
One of the victims, a man in his 20s, attempted to run for help after being shot but never made it. He was found collapsed on a porch, police said. The other victim, a woman in her 20s, was found slumped over in the BMW parked in the 2700 block of South Raymond Avenue, a few blocks from USC.
Police said both were graduate students from China studying electrical engineering, and Los Angeles authorities were working with school officials and the Chinese consulate to notify their families.
A lone assailant is believed responsible for the slayings, said Cmdr. Andrew Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department. He said detectives had little to go on and were examining all possibilities.
Ying Wu
From LAWeekly:
Ying Wu and Ming Qu, USC Grad Students From China, Identified as Shooting Victims
The USC grad students murdered in a 1 a.m. shooting outside their apartment have been identified as Ying Wu and Ming Qu, according to USC officials. They were both 23, and had traveled from China to study electrical engineering at the prestigious USC campus.
But the area surrounding USC is notoriously not so prestigious.
The couple, described by neighbors as private and reserved, were shot in an expensive new BMW on Raymond Avenue, the street where they lived, near 27th. One neighbor in particular told the Times that gang and drug activity in the area has been on the incline.
“Our community is saddened and outraged by this callous and meaningless act,” says Michael Jackson, vice president of USC Student Affairs, in a statement. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims’ families and friends and all who knew them at USC.”
He says Wu and Qu lived outside of the bubble that USC has taken measures to patrol:
“This incident occurred outside the neighborhood areas where over the past several years we have steadily increased our security presence, adding dozens of security and license plate recognition cameras, uniformed officers, and yellow-jacketed security ambassadors. However, tragedies such as this morning’s remind us that we all need to be continuously vigilant about safety and security.”
From MIT BBS:
walkwalkwalk:
Looks like the criminal got angry seeing Chinese drive good cars, and they know that the Chinese people do not lose their temper, so nobody will go after them even if they kill them…
walkwalkwalk:
And the criminal sent a message to the Chinese community where some feel they’re suddenly niubi if they have some money: You’re nothing but targets to victimize.
yarwood:
Did this international student buy the car with his/her own money? Or was the car paid for with the lives of Shanxi coal miners?
Commissar:
Ban guns, ban guns!
Zeratul:
I knew the USC area was unsafe, but I didn’t know it was this unsafe. Fortunately, when I was asked what school to go to back when I was still in China I firmly rejected/excluded USC.
A USC Public Safety vehicle drives on the street where two international students from China were shot dead on Wednesday in a "gang-infested" area near the University of Southern California, Los Angeles police in Los Angeles, California, April 11, 2012.
Some images and captions: China Daily
