USC student arrested on suspicion of murder after allegedly stabbing homeless man to death who was breaking into cars

A fraternity student at the University of Southern California (USC) allegedly stabbed a homeless man to death on Monday night after catching him breaking into cars at the school’s Greek Row.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, 19-year-old Ivan Gallegos and two others confronted the man, with Gallegos allegedly stabbing him in a parking lot near Greek Row, an off-campus housing area. The homeless man, whose identity has not been made public, died at the scene. ABC 7 reported that Gallegos was booked on suspicion of murder.

Following the incident, Gallegos stayed at the location and was arrested by responding officers. Gallegos claimed the homeless man was armed with a gun, but a law enforcement source who spoke with the Los Angeles Times reported that no firearm was recovered at the scene.

Gallegos, a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, had just completed his second year at USC, where he was studying business administration and management at the Marshall School of Business.

Last month, Gallegos was featured by USC’s Annenberg Media, which highlighted his challenging upbringing in East Los Angeles and his achievement of becoming a first-generation Latino college student. The report detailed that Gallegos grew up with both parents involved in gang activities, leading to their intermittent incarceration. 

“Despite growing up in an environment saturated with drugs, gangs and prostitution, he focused on music and sharpened his skills to become a multifaceted instrument and vocalist,” the report said.

Gallegos is currently being held on a $2 million bail. The District Attorney has not yet brought any charges against him.