Young woman arrested for beating and kicking to death 'beautiful and eloquent' 23-year-old after argument outside nightclub

  • Kim Pham was left brain dead following the attack in Santa Ana, California, on Saturday
  • She had been waiting outside a nightclub when she became involved in an  argument with another girl, whose friends also turned on her
  • Police have arrested one woman on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and causing great bodily harm
  • They are currently looking to speak to another two women and two men who they believe were involved
  • Cops have asked witnesses to hand over any cell phone footage; one apparent clip shows guard unsuccessfully trying to break up the fight
PUBLISHED: 17:05 EST, 20 January 2014 | UPDATED: 06:33 EST, 21 January 2014
Police in California have arrested a female suspect over the death of a 23-year-old woman who was brutally beaten as she waited in line outside a Santa Ana club on Saturday night.
The victim, identified by friends as Kim Pham, was declared brain dead following the attack in Santa Ana in the early hours of Saturday and relatives told KTLA on Monday that she had passed away.
The suspect hasn't been named, but is described as in her 20s and has been arrested for suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and causing great bodily harm. She was identified thanks to video footage of the attack filmed by a bystander. 
Scroll down for videos
Kim Pham
Kim Pham
Attacked: Kim Pham was knocked to the ground and beaten by a group of men and women outside a club in Santa Ana, California early on Saturday morning. She was left brain dead after the attack
Plea: Posters have been put near the crime scene appealing for information about the attackers
Plea: Posters have been put near the crime scene appealing for information about the attackers
'People have come forward that have provided us with videos and have come in and provided statements that have given detectives enough information to believe that this person was involved in at least the physical part of this altercation,' said Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the suspect.
Police are still looking for the four other suspects - two woman and two men - who are believed to have been involved in the heinous attack.

More...

On Facebook, Kim's sister Katie described her as a ‘beautiful, eloquent, and respectful person.’
Authorities are urging witnesses or anyone with any information about the attack to come forward.
Downtown, Inc., a group of local Santa Ana leaders, business owners and residents, and representatives from the venue where the incident took place are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of the individuals responsible for Pham's attack.
She was waiting with friends outside The Crosby, a club in downtown Santa Ana, when an argument broke out with another woman, whose friends then stepped in. 
Attack
Attack
Brutal: A video that friends claimed showed the attack was shared on Facebook. It shows people trying to break up a fight in the street while someone is lying on the ground

'Two or three of the female suspects knocked her to the ground, were physically assaulting her and kicking her, and they fled the scene,' Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told KABC.
CBS Los Angeles reported that a bouncer tried to break up the fight but was unable to. When the assailants ran away, Pham was left unconscious on the ground.
She was rushed to hospital and listed in extremely critical condition, but on Sunday, her sister wrote on her Facebook page that doctors had confirmed Pham was brain dead.
Hours later, her sister shared a link on Facebook saying that her sister had been murdered. Santa Ana Police have not yet confirmed Pham's death.
But authorities are appealing for witnesses to come forward with footage of the attack after receiving reports that club-goers had taken out their cell phones.
One video posted on Facebook claims to be from a friend of the victim, although authorities have not yet confirmed its veracity.
The 10-second clip shows a person lying on the floor as they are surrounded by a group of people. A guard can be seen attempting to separate the crowd as witnesses look on, horrified.
Bertagna added that authorities were looking for 'a group of five individuals that are only described as three females, two males, all Hispanic between 20 and 25 years of age'.
Scene: Investigators swarm the scene after the fight on Saturday morning. Police are looking for 5 suspects
Scene: Investigators swarm the scene after the fight on Saturday morning. Police are looking for 5 suspects
Violent Police say a fight broke out between Pham and another woman, whose friends then stepped in
Violent Police say a fight broke out between Pham and another woman, whose friends then stepped in
No arrests have yet been made.
Memorial posters and flowers were placed outside the club, and friends and relatives spread posters online pleading for information into the attack.
A donation page was also set up for the family, but Pham's sister later said that they did not want to receive donations and would be returning the money.
‘I can't believe something like this would happen to someone, especially my cousin,’ said Kathleen Trinh. ‘She was always a fun loving person. She has a bubbly personality. Anyone that's around her is always happy, she has an uplifting spirit.’
Pham's friend Johnson Lam described her as 'really educated, smart.'
'She has a lot of friends, you know, and everybody loves her, everybody likes her, and she's very sweet and kind-hearted,’ she said, 
The Crosby is also helping investigators and has posted a message on its Facebook page urging witnesses to contact authorities. It does not have any security footage of the attack.
Anyone with any information is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at (714) 245-839. You can also call OC Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.
See below for video



Comments (438)

Share what you think
 View all
The comments below have not been moderated.


cholos gangsta girls that have no life - but having kids for snap cards could never achieve what the beautiful KIM PHAM did in her very short life now taken away by these thugs.

0
5
Click to rate


The sad results of jealous chubby cholos gang girls.

0
4
Click to rate


Witnesses are saying the fight started because the victim accidently photobombed that group of animals.

0
2
Click to rate


I hope that california is still happy with all their cheap labor!!

2
12
Click to rate


All those people who recorded the fight and stood by but couldn't help protect her.

2
31
Click to rate
2 of 3 repliesSee all replies


They don't have legal duty to help out, plus they don't fully know the whole situation.

4
0
Click to rate


They have none legal duties to step in, plus they aren't 100% sure what the situation are. If you were there would you really step in? I don't think so.

5
0
Click to rate


She may not have been innocent in some form to cause such an uproar of her friends, but no man/woman deserves death especially in this this form. Respect your fellow human.

24
13
Click to rate


How come they haven't named the arrestee?

0
23
Click to rate


Because its Hispanic and the press wouldn't want us all stereotyping people.

2
15
Click to rate


Because she's Hispanic and it would be politically incorrect to say so, unless the attackers are Anglos then they could give the name.

2
13
Click to rate


EVIL. PURE EVIL. God Bless the innocent victim. God punish the evil people.

2
30
Click to rate


lovebug, if u died similar to an attack by 2 men and 3 women..beaten senseless, i think u will not agree to what u just posted. a life is lost and all u can say that the victm girl was evil. but then again u are already dead and would have nothing to say about this. or if something like this happened to a family member of yours and someone like yourself post that maybe ur family member is evil and deserve to die then maybe u are right

3
14
Click to rate


When will people learn that violence achieves nothing but tragedy

0
15
Click to rate
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment


By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.
 Who is this week's top commenter?Find out now