Translator’s Note: After reading through numerous tabloid-style articles in the Chinese-language that demonise the victims “White” boyfriend (and mixed-race relationships in general) – including the disinformation that the man seen leaving the victim’s residence was “White” – I finally found a PRC article that mirrors the US police coverage, correctly depicting the suspect as being an “Asian” male. This was not easy to find – but such articles do exist. Meanwhile, the Mainland Chinese internet is alive with articles and videos attacking the victim in highly misogynistic terminology. There seems to be an alternative narrative being permitted throughout the Chinese media that departs from Socialist Internationalism and the empowerment of women. This is a peculiar development that appears to contradict the usual policies advocated by the CPC – and certainly contradicts the usual ideology that I encounter. In this narrative – the “White” boyfriend has taken the place of the “Asian” male – who is believed to have murdered the victim. The question is “why”? ACW (15.2.2025)
Cover News: 2025-02-14 – Reporter: Che Jiazhu [车家竹]
On February 13, the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles issued a report on the tragic murder of a Chinese student in the consular district. According to the Los Angeles police report, a Chinese student studying at a university in Southern California was recently killed in his off-campus residence, and the case is currently under investigation.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office has released photographs of the suspect.
On the morning of the February 13th, 2025 local time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to announce any progress regarding the incident. At the press conference, the police claimed: “The suspect is an Asian male in his 20s who entered the apartment the night before the crime and left through the window the next day. There is no indication of the suspect’s height and weight – he is described only as “an Asian male in his 20s.”
Meanwhile, homicide officials at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office announced a $20,000 reward for any clues relating to the case that could help apprehend the suspect.
At the press conference, the investigator in charge of the case released some details of the case: “The woman who was killed was Menghan Zhuang, a 23-year-old Chinese citizen, who was found at her home by her roommate at 6:45 p.m. on February 4. Investigators believe Ms. Zhuang was murdered by a man she knew, who she let into her apartment the night before she was killed. “At the moment, the investigator is focusing his attention on this person.” During the investigation, investigators found that the man had arrived at the scene the night before the crime, and the video showed that the same man had left her apartment through her second-floor bedroom window on the same afternoon that Ms. Zhuang was found dead. ”
According to the Los Angeles County Forensic Network, responding police officers claimed that “the person was non-responsive”, whilst the police officers immediately administered first aid after arriving on the scene, before finally announcing that Zhuang Menghan had died on the spot due to “multiple injuries”. So far, the police have not released the nature of the injuries in order to “maintain the integrity of the investigation”. During the investigation, Zhuang Menghan’s roommate has been very cooperative and is not considered a suspect.
The investigator said the case was “not a random incident of violence” and that part of the reason was that Mr. Zhuang appeared to know the attacker.
“Zhuang Menghan’s father and sister, who have flown from China to the United States on Wednesday with the help of the Chinese consulate, are expected to meet with officials at California College of Arts, where Zhuang Menghan studied, on Thursday to collect her belongings,” the investigator added.
The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles said in a circular that the Consulate General attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens in the consular district, is deeply shocked and deplores the unfortunate murder of a Chinese student, expressing deep condolences and sincere condolences to the family. There was a strong condemnation of the criminal acts of the murderer. The Consulate General has urged the US side to speed up the investigation of the case and bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible. The Consulate General also maintains close contact with the family and coordinates with the university to provide active assistance in dealing with the aftermath. The Consulate General will continue to closely follow up on the investigation of the case and provide necessary support to the family.
Chinese Language Text:
中国留学生在美遇害 警方：嫌疑人为20多岁亚裔男性
封面新闻
2025-02-14 12:08
封面新闻记者 车家竹
2月13日，中国驻洛杉矶总领事馆发布关于领区一名中国留学生不幸遇害的情况通报：根据洛杉矶警方通报，就读于南加州一所高校的一名中国留学生近日在其校外住所不幸遇害，目前案件正在加紧调查中。
洛杉矶县治安官办公室公布嫌犯照片
当地时间13日上午，洛杉矶县治安官办公室召开新闻发布会，公布事件进展。发布会上，警方声称：“嫌疑人为一名20多岁亚裔男性，曾在案发前一晚进入公寓，次日从窗户离开。”但没有提供相关身高和体重的辅助数值，将其描述为“一名20多岁的亚裔男性”。
同时，洛杉矶县治安官办公室的凶杀案官员宣布，将悬赏2万美元，向大众征集任何与此案相关的线索，能帮助逮捕此名嫌犯。
在发布会上，负责此案的调查官公布了此案的一些细节：“遇害的这名女性是23岁的中国公民Menghan Zhuang（音译：庄梦涵），当地2月4日下午6点45分，她的室友在她家中发现了她。调查官们认为，庄梦涵是被她认识的一名男子谋杀的，在被杀的前一天晚上，她让这名男子进入了她的公寓。”目前调查官正将精力集中在这个人身上。“在调查中，调查人员发现，男子在案发前一晚上到达了现场，视频显示，在发现庄梦涵死亡的同一天下午，同一男性通过她的二楼卧室窗户离开了她的公寓。”
据洛杉矶县法医网报道，警局的警员接警时，报警人声称“人已无反应”，警员到达现场后对其立即进行急救，最后宣布庄梦涵因“多处受伤”而当场死亡。截至目前，警方暂未公布伤势的性质，以“维护调查的完整性”。在调查过程中庄梦涵的室友一直很配合，不被认为是嫌疑人。
该案调查官表示，这起案件“不是一起随机的暴力事件”，部分原因是庄梦涵似乎与袭击者相识。
“庄梦涵的父亲和姐姐，本周三已经在中国领事馆的帮助下从中国飞抵美国，预计他们将于周四与庄梦涵所在的加州艺术学院的官员会面，并领取她的东西。”调查官补充道。
中国驻洛杉矶总领馆在发布的通报中表示，总领馆高度重视领区中国公民安全，对该中国留学生不幸遇害深感震惊和痛惜，向其亲属表示深切哀悼和诚挚慰问，对凶手犯罪行径予以强烈谴责。总领馆已敦促美方加快案件调查，尽快将凶手绳之以法。总领馆并与家属保持密切联系，协调校方等为善后处理事宜提供积极协助。总领馆将继续密切跟进案件侦办情况，为家属提供必要支持。
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 