UPDATED — 5:14 PM 11/24/2025
Source: Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Authorities have taken a Morehouse student into custody after a viral video showed him violently assaulting a female Clark Atlanta University student. 11 Alive confirms that Matthew Dave Gonzales Forestine is facing felony charges after a viral video captured him assaulting Kayla Bryant, a Clark Atlanta University student. The footage caused outrage across social media, as well as condemnations from both campuses’ presidents.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed that Florestine, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and terroristic threats and acts.
After Morehouse issued an initial statement condemning the student’s actions, NewsOne reports that the college’s president, Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, followed up on Sunday, emphasizing that “violence and threats of violence have no place in the Morehouse community, particularly violence against women.”
Similarly, CAU President Dr. George T. French also issued a statement noting that violence as a whole, but particularly against women, is “intolerable, unacceptable, and has no place on our campuses.”
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According to statements released by two Atlanta University Center schools, officials are investigating a violent incident involving Clark Atlanta University student Kayla Bryant, who says she was attacked, strangled, and threatened by a Morehouse College student after stepping off a campus shuttle near her apartment. The encounter has ignited widespread anger across the AUC as students demand accountability.
Bryant posted a now-viral video detailing the incident on TikTok, and additional clips of the aftermath continue to circulate across X.
Kayla Says A Couple Followed Her Off The Shuttle, And The Man “Started Choking Me”
Bryant said she boarded the campus shuttle Thursday as she normally does. In her TikTok video, she explained that she sat in the back and was listening to music when a couple got on and took the seats in front of her.
According to Bryant, the male student stepped on her foot as she was exiting. When she asked for an apology, she said the girlfriend confronted her and accused her of being “all up in my face.”
Bryant said, “She mushes me on my face and I try to swing back.” That is when she says the male student grabbed her by the neck.
“He picks me up off the ground and starts strangling me,” she said. “I could not breathe. He is telling me he is going to kill me.”
She said she was slammed into the walls while trying to regain her balance. Bryant says she escaped with a bruised face and knee. According to Facebook threads, the incident allegedly occurred at Legacy at Centennial Apartments at 130 Luckie Street, a location that AUC students in the comments identified as an off-campus housing complex.
Online Users Claim To Have Identified The Couple In The Viral Video
Bryant said she shared the video so the public could help identify the individuals involved. “I put this online so y’all could help me,” she said.
According to social media users, commenters on TikTok and X claim the individuals seen in the video are AUC students. Their names have circulated widely as students crowdsource information and attempt to verify who was involved.
BOSSIP is not identifying either person as a suspect. Police have not publicly confirmed the identities of the man or woman, and no arrests have been announced.
Morehouse Calls The Behavior “Disappointing And Completely Inconsistent” With Its Values
According to an official statement posted by Morehouse College on Facebook, the school said it was made aware of the video on Friday and immediately began reviewing the matter through its student conduct process.
Morehouse said the behavior seen in the video is “disappointing and completely inconsistent with Morehouse’s mission, values, and expectations of its community members.”
The college said its Campus Safety and Student Services teams “responded swiftly” and are working closely with Clark Atlanta University leadership and the Atlanta Police Department to investigate the incident and reach a “just resolution.”
Officials added that privacy laws limit what can be shared publicly, but the school will “take all necessary steps to address this issue with urgency, fairness, and care for all involved.”
Clark Atlanta Confirms It Is Working With The Student, Her Family, And Police
According to an official statement posted by Clark Atlanta University on Facebook, the school confirmed it is aware of the video circulating online and verified that the incident took place off campus.
Here is the full statement:
“Clark Atlanta University is aware of the video circulating on social media and can confirm that the alleged incident took place off campus. While this incident occurred outside Clark Atlanta University’s boundaries, the safety and security of all Clark Atlanta University students remains the top priority.
The Clark Atlanta University Department of Public Safety is in communication with the student, their family, Morehouse College Department of Public Safety, and the Atlanta Police Department to address this situation with both care and urgency.
Clark Atlanta University appreciates your concern for the well-being of our students.”
The school said it will continue assisting law enforcement and offering support to Bryant.
Police Are Actively Searching For The Couple
Bryant said officers are looking for both individuals. She also said she shared her TikTok to help identify the couple and to warn other students.
The investigation remains ongoing. Both Clark Atlanta and Morehouse have stated they will continue cooperating with authorities.
BOSSIP will update this story as more information becomes available.
