Memorial Held for Grad Students Killed
The sound of a lone violin filled the air, as USC held a memorial service Wednesday night at the Shrine Auditorium for two graduate students from China killed near campus about a week ago. The crowd sat in silence, shedding tears in memory of Ying Wu and Ming Qu.
"The one thing that is clear is that we must come together. To share, to remember, to heal," said President C.L. Max Nikias before an audience of approximately 1,000.
Wu and Qu were killed April 11 on the 2700 block of Raymond Ave. were honored at the service, which began at 6 p.m.
The service was open to the public. Nikias, student leaders representing Chinese and International student groups and the parents of Wu and Qu paid respect to their fellow Trojans.
A slideshow of pictures documenting Wu and Qu's lives played for the crowd.
Qu's long-time friend Biao Yang reflected on how much Qu supported him here in in the United States at USC. They had planned to study together in the US since high school.
"You encouraged me to come fight for our goals before we went back to China," said Yang.
Nikias announced that two scholarships will be awarded in honor of Wu and Qu to ensure that their USC impact will not be forgotten.
The parents of Wu and Qu flew in from China over the weekend to visit the scene of the crime and meet with police investigators to help track down who killed their 23-year-old children. They were escorted backstage immediately following the service.
The city of Los Angeles has offered a $75,000 reward for any information on the shooting, in addition to the $125,000 reward already offered by USC.
“Someone knows who did this, and I hope this reward will stimulate some activity and cause someone to care enough about two people who were just studying to have a better life and were harming no one, two young people whose entire lives were ahead of them and bring some justice,” said City Councilwoman Jan Perry.
The reward was sponsored by City Councilman Bernard Parks.
This memorial service is not the first time electrical engineering students Wu and Qu have been honored by the university. A candlelight vigil last Thursday at campus landmark Tommy Trojan gathered over 500 students, teachers, and faculty to honor the fallen students.
Wu and Qu were shot to death April 11 at 1 a.m. near West 27th Street. Wu was found in the front passenger seat of Qu’s 2003 BMW. Qu was found on the steps of a nearby house, according to police.
Surveillance video showed a dark sedan leaving the area. One witness reports hearing several gunshots, while another witness saw a person in dark clothes fleeing the area.
Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD detectives at (213) 485-4341, or (877) LAPD-24-7.
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