A gunman shot by a USC police officer after robbing four students was hospitalized this week, while detectives checked to see if the robber could be tied to the shooting deaths of two graduate students from China.
The shooting near 28th and Figueroa streets occurred about 12:40 a.m, Wednesday and Jeremy Hendricks, 24, was arrested and taken to a hospital with a leg wound, Los Angeles police said.
The gun recovered from Hendricks is expected to be tested to see if could have been the one used to kill the two Chinese students.
Hendricks had just robbed a woman and three men who were walking in the area, Lt. Andy Neiman said. What was taken was not disclosed, but Neiman said Hendricks put the loot in a backpack and ran.
Two of the men ran after the suspect and flagged down a USC Department of Public Safety officer, Neiman said.
“The officer pursued the suspect, and saw that he had a gun in his hand,” he said. “There was an officer-involved shooting, and the suspect was taken into custody. We do not believe (the suspect) fired any rounds.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that Hendricks is a Compton gang member, but police spokesman Richard French was unable to immediately confirm that.
The shooting occurred a few blocks from the Shrine Auditorium, where a memorial service was held for the two students killed April 11. Ying Wu and Ming Qu, both 23, were fatally shot during a downpour about 1 a.m. while sitting in Qu’s recently purchased 2003 BMW, which was double-parked in the 2700 block of Raymond Avenue.
Wu was found in the front passenger seat and Qu on the steps of a nearby house, police said.
