The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file a case against an 18-year-old man arrested in connection with an attack at a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA in late April, instead referring it to the City Attorney’s Office for a possible misdemeanor filing.
In a statement released June 21, District Attorney George Gascón said his office has completed a “thorough review of the incident involving Mr. Edan On, who allegedly assaulted another protester,” but prosecutors “cannot establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. On’s conduct directly caused the victim’s injury.”
“There is no evidence to suggest that Mr. On was working in collaboration with any other individuals, and our investigation found no proof of conspiracy or any organized effort by Mr. On related to the incident,” the district attorney said. “Given these factors, we believe that the appropriate course of action is to refer the matter to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, which will consider misdemeanor filing.”
A spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office said a potential misdemeanor case is under review.
Mr. On was arrested May 23 in Beverly Hills by the UCLA Police Department and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to campus police and jail records.
“Detectives interviewed witnesses and victims and reviewed security camera footage from the pro-Palestinian demonstration to identify the suspect, who was not affiliated with the campus and was allegedly among a group who violently attacked students, faculty and staff April 30,” according to a statement from the UCLA Police Department.
Mr. On was released May 24 on bond, jail records show.
The District Attorney’s Office said it is also reviewing another “matter” stemming from the UCLA demonstration.
