USC student arrested for assaulting prof with a metal water bottle in ‘unprovoked’ attack, cops say

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A University of Southern California student was arrested on Monday morning after reportedly striking a professor in the head with a metal water bottle, the school’s student newspaper reported.

The university’s department of public safety responded to the incident in room 112 of the Verna and Peter Dauterive Hall. School security officials arrested the student, who was later booked by the Los Angeles Police Department for assault with a deadly weapon.

Neither the student nor the professor has been identified by university or law enforcement officials.

The instructor was treated at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel and then transported to a local hospital for treatment.

A person who witnessed the attack and spoke with USCAnnenbergMedia said they believe the incident had been unprovoked. The student had an outburst shortly before instruction began, the source said.

She was spotted “yelling and slamming her water bottle on the table,” the outlet reported.

Officials have not released additional details relating to the incident. The Independent has reached out to USC for comment.

USC, a private university based near downtown Los Angeles, had a total student population of more than 47,000 in the 2023-2024 academic year, and this year’s tuition alone costs $69,904.