A Morehouse College student has been charged after a disturbing incident, caught on video, appears to show him assaulting a Clark Atlanta University student. The incident occurred last week on a Georgia State University bus, when a woman reported that a man had stepped on her foot. When the woman confronted him about the accident, she claims the man’s girlfriend, a Clark Atlanta University student, pushed her in response.
The altercation quickly escalated, with the man, later identified as Matthew Gonzales Forestine, joining in. According to the woman’s account, Forestine then allegedly lifted her off the ground by placing his arm around her neck, swinging her around. A video of the violent incident has since gone viral, sparking widespread outrage.
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Morehouse College President Dr. F. DuBois Bowman addressed the situation in a public letter, stating that Morehouse men are expected to uphold the values of compassion and moral discipline. He emphasized the importance of maintaining these principles both on and off-campus, though he did not comment on Forestine’s standing at the college due to privacy concerns. “The College does hold its community members to the expectation of consistently embodying Morehouse’s values,” Bowman wrote.
Clark Atlanta University President George T. French Jr. also condemned the incident, describing it as a “disgusting display of violence.” French stressed that violence in any form, particularly against women, is unacceptable and incompatible with the values upheld by their institution. “We want to be clear: violence as a whole within our society is antithetical and disruptive to our culture,” French said.
Matthew Gonzales Forestine has been arrested and is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and terroristic threats. The investigation is ongoing, and both institutions have expressed their commitment to addressing the incident and ensuring the safety of their students.