USC Student Arrested for Illegal Firearm and Threats

Los Angeles: On Sunday April 22, 2007 officers with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested and booked a 19-year-old University of Southern California student for illegal possession of a firearm.

Zao Xing Yang, a five-semester undergraduate at USC was attending a student party at a home in the 2300 block of Portland Street, near the USC campus.

Around 3 A.M., some students at the party overheard Yang talking to a young woman. At one point the host of the party asked Yang to leave after he was heard making intimidating statements to the co-ed, and then threatening her with violence.

Yang began arguing with the host and that’s when the host noticed Yang holding a gun in his hand. Several students wrestled the gun away from Yang and held him until Campus security and LAPD officers arrived.

Early Monday, April 23, 2007, Southwest Area Detectives obtained a search warrant for Yano’s home, which he shares with other roommates. In Yang’s room Detectives discovered a safe. Within the safe they found methamphetamine packaged for sale, a .44 caliber magnum revolver, and several hundred dollars in cash.

Yang was booked on the firearm charge and is being held without bail. When Detectives present their case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, they plan to seek charges including; making terrorist threats, possession of unregistered firearms and possession of illegal narcotics for sale.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Southwest Area Detectives at 213-485-6571.