Korean exchange student dies after LA school fight
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 17-year-old South Korean student in Los Angeles was arrested after fighting with a fellow exchange student who later died.
Authorities say the teen suspect and 19-year-old Jin Su Lee traded blows in a brief fight Tuesday at First Lutheran High School in Sylmar, an area of the San Fernando Valley.
The school’s executive director says Lee suffered head injuries, took a few steps, then collapsed. He died at a hospital.
Bill Stark says the argument may have stemmed from cultural differences between the U.S. and Korea, where both teens are from.
The teen, who wasn’t identified because of his age, was arrested Thursday for investigation of assault. Police spokesman Richard French says prosecutors are waiting to review autopsy results before they file charges.
Stark says the teen was devastated when he learned his friend had died.