A USC graduate student was killed last week while walking home from a study session, and one of his attackers said that he has been in the country illegally for seven years, a federal official told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. Four men tried to rob the student while armed with a baseball bat.
Xinran Ji, 24, sustained head injuries and ultimately died in his apartment after fleeing his attackers around 12:45 a.m. on July 24.
An official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the case, told the Los Angeles Times that suspect Jonathan DelCarmen admitted he was an illegal immigrant while in Los Angeles County jail.
“ICE has lodged an immigration detainer against Mr. DelCarmen requesting that the Sheriff’s Department turn him over to ICE for possible follow-up immigration enforcement action if and when he is released from local custody,” U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said, the Times reported.
Three others individuals were also charged in connection with the young student’s death. They are: Andrew Garcia, 18; Alberto Ochoa, 17; and Alejandra Guerrero, 16, the Times reported.
“We do not want to see another incident like this,” the boys parents, Songbo Ji and Jinhui Du, said in a statement, the paper reported. “No parents should have to bear this pain.”
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• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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