Following a viral video of his assault of a Clark Atlanta University student in November, Matthew Gonzales Forestine has been banned from the campus of Morehouse College. Per a report by Capital B News, Gonzales Forestine is relegated to completing his required coursework online and is not allowed on campus for any reason.
The news of his banishment from Morehouse College campus comes ahead of his first court appearance on January 15th, in which he is facing two felony charges, one count each of aggravated assault and terroristic threats and acts, per the Atlanta-based publication. The felony assault charges range from 1 to 20 years in prison, and Gonzales Forestine is expected to enter a plea.
The assault, captured on video, features Matthew Gonzales Forestine choking Clark Atlanta student Kayla Bryant following an altercation with his girlfriend. In the video, Gonzales Forestine further threatened Bryant, and the dispute was broken up by bystanders. Gonzales Forestine was captured by cameras, threatening to kill Bryant, before two male bystanders forced him to release her from his chokehold.
Per police reporting as well as Bryant's account from her TikTok, the incident stemmed from Gonzales Forestine stepping on her shoe. The incident turned into a larger issue as Bryant and the girlfriend of Gonzales Forestine exchanged words, ultimately leading to the altercation.
Morehouse and Clark Atlanta released statements denouncing the assault and announced a joint investigation into the incident. Morehouse announced the investigation but declined to share the findings with respect to federal student privacy regulations such as FERPA.
