Student arrested after harming roommate with 13-inch knife

Sometimes cooking can get heated.

When Chengcheng Mou, a 23-year-old student majoring in computer science and engineering, made a comment about the cooking of his Holly E roommate, 29-year-old INTO USF student Xia “Michael” Li, who was being held at Orient Road Jail without bail at time of print Tuesday night on charges of aggravated battery involving a weapon, simple battery, burglary and armed burglary, did not take it well.

According to an arrest affidavit, Li knocked on Mou’s door around 1:25 p.m. on Monday and punched Mou’s face when he opened the door.

“Don’t treat me like that,” the affidavit stated Li shouted at Mou.

Li left Mou’s room, entered their shared kitchenette and took a 13-inch black-handled kitchen knife from a drawer before re-entering Mou’s room, the report said.

With the knife in one hand, Li then pushed Mou with his other hand, causing Mou to lose balance and fall backward against his bed. Li put the blade against the left side of Mou’s neck, “pressing down hard, causing injury,” the report said.

Lt. Chris Daniel of University Police (UP) said in a release that Mou’s injuries were minor and he refused medical treatment.

The affidavit states that Mou locked his room, left the apartment and then called his Resident Assistant (RA), who then notified UP. The RA referred all requests for comment to her supervisor, who was unavailable at time of print.

Li was arrested at 1:39 p.m. on Monday and booked in at Orient Road Jailat 7:06 p.m. The arrest report states an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold had been placed on him, something Debbie Carter, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, said is placed on anyone who cannot show proof of citizenship at the time of arrest.

Daniel said UP was unaware of Li’s visa status. INTO USF offers pathway and English language programs for international students wishing to study in the U.S.

An ICE hold allows an arrested person to be held an additional 48 hours to determine whether the person should be turned over to ICE after the criminal case is complete, where the person may be subject to deportation.


— Reporting by Divya Kumar