An update from Provost Garrett

Dear USC students, faculty and staff:

As we mourn the tragic death of Xinran Ji, I am writing to share news about the progress of the investigation of this crime. Today the Los Angeles Police Department informed us that they have arrested the suspects. Our understanding from the LAPD is that these suspects had allegedly committed at least one other street robbery in another area of Los Angeles and that they were apprehended hours after the attack on Xinran.

We are very grateful to the Los Angeles Police Department, including the leadership of Chief Charlie Beck, Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger and their officers, for its quick response and full dedication to solving this crime. I also want to thank and acknowledge our Department of Public Safety, led by Chief John Thomas, because USC’s security technology was instrumental in assisting LAPD’s investigation.

While we were relieved to hear the news of the arrests and we are confident that the investigation will lead to the appropriate punishment of those who committed this heinous act, we continue to grieve deeply as a community for Xinran, his family and his friends. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering will hold a memorial to honor his life when his parents are here later this week. We also continue to encourage students who have been affected by this tragedy to reach out to our Student Counseling Service at 213-740-7711.

We will continue to do our best to provide a secure environment for our campus and the area around it, hoping to avoid such senseless tragedies. However, this is a reminder to all students, faculty and staff to continue to take precautions, particularly at night. Remember that if you need assistance, you can call our Department of Public Safety at 213-740-6000, use our late-night shuttle service or request a ride from our fleet of Campus Cruisers. Information on those services can be found on our campus safety and emergency preparedness site. We are further reviewing our security measures to ensure that we provide the best possible protection for our students, faculty and staff.

After we have consulted with the family, we will make information about the memorial service available. I know that all our thoughts remain with Xinran’s family and friends as we mourn the loss of this vibrant member of our Trojan Family.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Garrett
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

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Elizabeth Garrett
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