Another Shooting Near USC Campus Raises More Safety Concerns

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A memorial service was held Wednesday evening for two USC graduate students from China, who were shot and killed near the campus last week.

A USC police officer shot and wounded Jeremy Hendrick, a robbery suspect Wednesday morning after he reportedly held up four students at gunpoint. It is not known if the two shootings are at all related, but the violence has the community on edge.

Amanda Burden, reporting for KCAL9 and CBS2, attended the memorial service for Ying Wu and Ming Qu, both 23. They were found shot to death in the 2700 block of Raymond Avenue near West 27th Street shortly after 1 a.m. on April 11.

Wu was found in front passenger seat of Qu's recently purchased 2003 BMW. Qu was found on the steps of a nearby house, police said.

USC President C.L. Max Nikias attended the memorial service at the Shrine Auditorium. He told the assembly, "You have our deepest sympathies. We share your grief which weighs heavily on our hearts."

Yannis Yortos, the dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering, also spoke. "Today I grieve with all of you because a senseless act of violence destroyed your dreams and your sacrifice."

Student leaders representing Chinese and international student groups also attended along with friends of the victims.

Investigators continued to reach out to the public for help tracking down a suspect in the killings. On Tuesday, the city of Los Angeles added $75,000 to the pool of reward money being offered in the case, bringing the total amount to $200,000.

Burden spoke to one student, who was unsettled by all the violence. "I'm kind of scared for my security a little bit," the student said, "that shooting happened close to where I live."