News Summary
The tragic murders of two Chinese graduate students at USC in separate incidents have sparked severe safety concerns among the international community. Ming Qu and Ying Wu were gunned down in 2012, followed by Xinran Ji’s brutal attack in 2014. The violent nature of these crimes has prompted the university to implement enhanced security measures and has led to ongoing discussions about the safety of international students, particularly from China. Despite these efforts, the impact of these tragedies continues to resonate within the student community.
Los Angeles, California
In a tragic series of events, two Chinese graduate students from the University of Southern California (USC) were murdered during robberies in 2012 and 2014, leading to heightened safety concerns for the university’s international community. The violent killings of Ming Qu and Ying Wu, followed by Xinran Ji, caught the attention of law enforcement and university officials, prompting discussions on security measures for students, particularly those from China.
On April 11, 2012, 23-year-old graduate students Ming Qu and Ying Wu were shot near the university while sitting in Qu’s parked BMW sedan. The two were approached by two armed men, resulting in Qu being shot multiple times in the head and Wu sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest. Both succumbed to their injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) took immediate action, launching an investigation into the case.
Through their efforts, police identified the shooters as Bryan Barnes (20) and Javier Bolden (19), who were not enrolled at USC. In February 2014, Barnes pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, while Bolden was later convicted of similar charges in October 2014. Both men received sentences amounting to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole. Evidence against them included cell phones stolen from the victims, shell casings linked to Bolden, and incriminating phone conversations.
Two years after the killings of Qu and Wu, on July 24, 2014, another Chinese graduate student, Xinran Ji, was attacked and killed during a robbery near USC. Ji was assaulted by four teenagers using a metal baseball bat and a wrench. Despite managing to return to his apartment, Ji died shortly thereafter from his injuries. The perpetrators, identified as Alejandra Guerrero (16), Andrew Garcia (18), Jonathan Del Carmen (19), and Alberto Ochoa (17), were charged with Ji’s murder.
Guerrero was convicted of first-degree murder in 2018 but had her sentence vacated in 2025 because of changes in state law, which led to a reduced sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Garcia received a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder, while Del Carmen initially pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, only to have his conviction downgraded to attempted robbery in 2021. Ochoa, similarly to Guerrero and Garcia, was convicted of first-degree murder, also receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The violent nature of these incidents sparked a wave of fear among USC’s international student population, particularly those from China. Responding to these concerns, USC implemented enhanced security measures, including the addition of surveillance cameras, increased police patrols, and the establishment of an international student safety advisory group. Despite these safety measures, the university’s international student population continued to grow, with 5,993 students from China enrolled by 2025.
In response to the tragedies, the families of Ming Qu and Ying Wu filed a lawsuit against USC in 2012, alleging that the university misrepresented campus safety. However, the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. In honor of Qu, Wu, and Ji, memorial scholarships have been established at USC, reflecting the values and qualities the deceased students represented as remembered by their friends and family.
Investigations ultimately revealed that the attacks on the students were primarily motivated by robbery rather than racial bias. Nonetheless, the lasting legacy of these devastating tragedies continues to impact the USC community and stimulate ongoing discussions about the safety and protection of international students on campus.
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Additional Resources
- A&E: 3 Chinese Students Were Murdered at USC in 3 Years
- LA Times: The Murders of Chinese Students at USC
- VOA News: Two Chinese Students Killed at USC
- CBS News: Murder of USC Chinese Students Brings Second Life Sentence
- NBC News: 2 Arrested in Double Murder of USC Students
- Wikipedia: University of Southern California
- Google Search: Chinese Students Murdered at USC
- Google Scholar: Chinese Students Murdered at USC
- Encyclopedia Britannica: University of Southern California
- Google News: USC Murder Chinese Students
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