A USC student said he is pressing charges against a UCLA student after she slapped him during the USC versus UCLA cross-town rivalry football game.
Matthew Kim, a USC sophomore communications major, was watching the November 23 game in the student section of the Rose Bowl when the alleged assault occurred. The moment was captured on video by a bystander. It shows the UCLA student extending her arm and apparently slapping him across the face. The video had reached more than 117,000 views as of December 3.
Kim responded to the incident in a TikTok video from his personal account. Kim said that he was engaging in unserious football trash-talk with his friend, a UCLA student, when Katherine Beck, a sophomore majoring in public affairs and global studies at UCLA, continuously interrupted their conversation.
When she began addressing him directly, Kim laughed, which he believed caused her to wind up and slap him, Kim said.
The incident occurred close to half-time when the Trojans were in the lead.
Kim said that Beck left of her own volition and was not arrested at the scene, even though spectators suggested calling the police.
A Pasadena Police Department public information officer confirmed to Annenberg Media that a misdemeanor assault incident was filed on November 25. They confirmed that Kim had begun the process to press charges against Beck, but that the department was awaiting more information from him. Beck could face up to six months in jail and/or a fine of $1,000 if prosecuted and found guilty.
Kim said he believes taking action against Beck is important so that others think before they lead with violence in the face of conflict.
“You set a dangerous precedent with leaving this unresolved,” Kim said in an interview with Annenberg Media. “You can’t just have people going around, physically assaulting people, especially in a student section where everyone’s just trying to have a good time.”
Efforts to reach Beck were unsuccessful.
Kim said he reached out to the dean’s office at UCLA in hopes of the administration taking disciplinary action against Beck. However, he said they have been unresponsive.
Annenberg Media reached out to members of Beck’s sorority and lacrosse team but did not receive comment.
Kim posted an updated TikTok on another account, @kimknowstiktok, asking viewers not to post her personal information and make threats.
“It’s really important that you guys do not go overboard with this. You know, she’s still a person. I mean, yes, she didn’t apologize… obviously, I hope that she can grow and learn from this,” he said.
“If she had apologized, maybe I would have taken a different course of action, maybe just try to internally resolve it without getting the police involved,” Kim said.
The Pasadena Police Department said they are still attempting to reach Kim to complete filing charges against Beck.
This is a developing story.