USC student, 19, arrested after fatally stabbing identified burglary suspect

A 19-year-old University of Southern California business student who was arrested on suspicion of murder in the fatal attack of a burglary suspect on USC's Greek Row in Los Angeles on Monday evening has been identified.

The incident was reported around 8:15 p.m. in the 700 block of West 28th Street in the University Park neighborhood.

When police arrived, they found an unidentified man in his thirties suffering from stab wounds in an alley. He was later pronounced dead at the scene, LAPD officials confirmed.

Authorities say the Boyle Heights native, who is now in custody, and two friends witnessed the 27-year-old homeless man burglarizing cars. The 19-year-old allegedly confronted the man with a knife before stabbing him to death.

Gallegos, who has no criminal record and remained at the scene to cooperate with law enforcement, told police he was acting in self-defense and that the 27-year-old burglary suspect years old, had declared that he was armed with a firearm.

The friends of the 19-year-old young man who were with him at the time of the incident were not arrested.

A housekeeper from the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity of Students said everyone in the house was very concerned about what happened.

“They're upset and sad and worried,” she told KTLA's Omar Lewis. “It’s very tragic for both families.”

Some Greek Row residents say they are already on edge following previous incidents involving property crimes and because the alley where the stabbing took place is near a homeless encampment. shelter.

“When a lot of these things are happening repetitively, you have a lot more students who want to be proactive,” Greek Row resident Liam Shi told KTLA. “I don’t even know what I would have done in that situation.

Another student, a property manager on Greek Row, just two doors down from Delta Tau Delta, told KTLA that his building was burglarized and that the incident left students confused and asking questions.

“Someone lost their life yesterday, so I feel horrible what happened,” said the student, identified only as Allison. “At the same time, I am a student myself. I'm a woman. I think we're all students, anyone actually, you're in a vulnerable position. What are you supposed to do, wait until the gun is out in front of you?

As for Gallegos, held on $2 million bail, his future is now uncertain.

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