A junior at the University of Southern California is facing serious charges after an altercation near campus led to a homeless man’s stabbing death this week.
Frat bro arrested for stabbing homeless man
Police and paramedics rushed to the scene of an assault with a deadly weapon near campus around 8 p.m. Monday.
The Los Angeles Fire Department pronounced the victim dead on arrival, according to a Los Angeles Police Department statement.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ivan Gallegos, a 19-year-old business administration major at USC.
The incident took place in the 700 block of West 28th Street, just a few blocks from the University Park campus and Greek Row.
“The male victim was breaking into vehicles at the location when the suspect confronted and stabbed the victim,” said the LAPD.
Police noted that Gallegos stayed at the scene after allegedly stabbing the homeless crook to death. He was arrested about 30 minutes after officers responded to the incident.
College student says stabbing was self-defense
LAPD Chief Dominic Choi stated that Gallegos claimed the homeless man had threatened him with a gun. However, anonymous sources reported to the Los Angeles Times that no firearm was found at the scene.
A spokesperson for the Delta Tau Delta fraternity confirmed Gallegos is a member and attends USC.
Gallegos fraternity brother, Scott Conner, told the outlet that homeless people robbing parked cars is becoming the status quo on campus.
“The guys back there are pretty aggressive. A lot of homeless live there,” Conner remarked. “There’s been this whole school year serial break-ins, cars and houses. It’s expected.”
Witnesses told the police that they spotted a trail of blood between fraternity houses near the crime scene.
A local homeless man, Adam Pierpoint, said he wasn’t surprised a student confronted someone breaking into a car, but they haven’t bothered him.
“I’m homeless, but I’m not a pest,” Pierpoint said.
The LAPD’s South Bureau Homicide Division is currently investigating the incident.
Gallegos was taken into custody at the LAPD’s 77th Street Division early Tuesday morning. He is looking at murder, but hasn’t been formally charged. The teenager is being held on $2 million bail.
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s spokesperson said the homeless victim’s identity is still being determined and will be released once family members are notified.
NYU freshman sues roommate for resale theft scheme
Across the nation, a first-year student at New York University filed a lawsuit against her roommate over alleged the theft of luxury items worth approximately $51,000.
Aurora Agapov, 19, is suing her roommate Kaitlyn Fung, 18, and Fung’s mother. The lawsuit alleges that Fung devised a plan to steal Agapov’s expensive handbags and jewelry, selling some items on an online luxury resale platform.
The suit claims that in May, the daughter of a wealthy Russian-American gold mining CEO, figured out that several of her high-priced belonging were missing from their shared dorm room.
After combing through the space, she found a receipt addressed to Fung from a web-based resale shop, The RealReal, listing the stolen items.
According to the lawsuit, Agapov convinced Fung to pull her account up on the platform, which revealed several items the teenage klepto was selling, including an 18-karat ring valued at around $24,000, a $3,300 Celine tote, and a $4,000 Chanel handbag.
The spendy belongings of Agapov’s that she had already fence included a Bvlgari necklace she hawked for $2,485 and a Chanel bracelet someone got for a literal steal at $175.
The suit alleges both items were sold for dramatically less than their actual value. The necklace was actually worth somewhere in the ballpark of $13,000, while bracelet was purchased for about $2,000.
Fung tried selling a Gucci handbag, Christian Louboutin shoes, and a Celine handbag, but purchasers had returned them to the thief.
The 18-year-old college girl was arrested on May 2 after Agapov reported the theft to police. She faces grand larceny charges.
The suit also alleges that Agapov visited The RealReal’s New York City location and was told by an employee that Fung’s mother had instructed them to send unsold items to her home.
Agapov claims Fung and her mother have “failed and refused” to return the stolen items.
A spokesperson for The RealReal said they no longer possess the stolen items and are cooperating with law enforcement.
An NYU spokesperson wouldn’t comment on the issue, but said that thieving roommates are a rarity and the act is a “lousy thing to do.”
