Fight between Two Students Results in Fatality NR10585rf

Los Angeles: Two high-school students in Sylmar became involved in a verbal dispute regarding cultural differences that escalated into a deadly physical fight, leaving one student dead.
On Tuesday of this week at about 2:50 p.m., LAPD Mission Area officers were summoned to Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar where they learned that a 19-year-old student, Jin Su Lee, had been admitted in critical condition.  Lee was suffering from severe brain damage he incurred during a fight with another student at First Lutheran High School in Sylmar. 
During the investigation, more details emerged. Both teenagers were Korean foreign exchange students whose fight erupted on the school’s football field during a physical education class.  As their fight escalated, Lee suffered head trauma and was transported by Los Angeles Fire Department rescue personnel to Olive View Medical Center.  Later, he was transferred to Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills. 
Lee never recovered from his injuries and was pronounced brain dead at Holy Cross Hospital yesterday.
The other student involved in the fatal conflict is 17 years old.  He was arrested, charged with assault and detained at Sylmar Juvenile Hall.  After Lee’s death, detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to be filed as murder.  However, the District Attorney’s Office will wait for autopsy results before filing any criminal charges.
 
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Mission Area homicide detectives at 818-838-9810 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Afterhours calls may be directed to the Mission Area patrol desk at 818-838-9800.   During non-business hours or on weekends, calls may also be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Additionally, tipsters may go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.