Memorial held on campus for USC grad student

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An overflow of people crowded outside Newman Hall on the University of Southern California campus Friday to remember the graduate student beaten to death last week.

The memorial service for Xinran Ji, who was killed while walking home from a study group, brought out those hoping to pay their respects. Four suspects - Jonathan Del Carmen, 19, Andrew Garcia, 18, Alberto Ochoa, 17, and Alejandra Guerrero, 16 - have been charged with Ji's murder.

"Today, I grieve with all of you because of a senseless act of violence crushed his dreams and destroyed your sacrifice," said Yannis Yortsos, the dean of USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

USC will create an annual scholarship in Ji's honor, Yortsos said.

"This scholarship will forever keep his memory alive," Yortsos said.

A representative from the Chinese Consulate General of Los Angeles spoke more of the July 24th killing and asked for steps be taken to prevent it from happening again.

"We condemn the merciless crime. We insist the murderers who disregarded the dignity of life and the order of society get (the) punishment they deserve," Deputy Consul General Lei Wang said.

Because of China's one-child policy, Ji's parents, who arrived in the U.S. Thursday, are now left childless.

USC's President of the Chinese Students Association Xu Yuan spoke directly to them, hoping to help fill that void.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ji, at this moment, we are all your children," Yuan said.