A University of Southern California (USC) student accused of fatally stabbing a homeless man will not be facing any charges, the DA says.
Ivan Gallegos, 19, stabbed Xavier Cerf Monday night after Gallegos apparently caught the 29-year-old breaking into his car in the parking lot of his fraternity house, ABC 7 reported, citing the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
Cerf allegedly told the 19-year-old he had a gun, which police say is when Gallegos stabbed him, ABC7 reported.
The L.A. District Attorney (DA) George Gascón said Thursday no charges will be brought against Gallegos, according to CBS News.
“After careful consideration and a thorough review of all available evidence, we have decided not to pursue charges against USC student Ivan Gallegos,” Venusse D. Dunn, a spokesperson for the DA’s office, said in a statement, CBS reported.
“We believe that Mr. Gallegos’s actions were driven by a genuine fear for his life and the lives of others,” the statement reportedly continued. “Our heart goes out to the deceased’s family, friends and everyone impacted by this tragic incident.”
District Attorney George Gascón says he is not filing charges against the 19-year-old USC student accused of killing a homeless man on Greek Row.
Gascon believes the student’s action’s “were driven by a genuine fear for his life” and called it a “tragic incident.”… pic.twitter.com/AJRXmaML4k
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 20, 2024
Officials responded to the scene around 8:15 p.m. Monday after reports of an “assault victim,” according to an LAPD press release. Cerf was found injured and later pronounced dead at the scene, the LAPD said.
Gallegos was arrested for murder and held on a $2 million bond, according to the LAPD. (RELATED: 19-Year-Old USC Student Arrested For Allegedly Stabbing Homeless Man).
Cerf was confronted by three men in the incident. One was Gallegos, who stabbed him, and the other two were questioned by the LAPD and later released from the scene.
