2 Samoan suspects carry out fatal shooting in Ho Chi Minh City under orders from overseas

Lieutenant General Mai Hoang, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security, on Tuesday chaired a press briefing to announce the initial results of a probe into the suspected murder case that occurred on the evening of May 21.

The Ministry of Public Security said on Monday that its officers teamed up with Ho Chi Minh City police arrested two suspects, who are Samoan nationals, linked to the shooting attack that left one foreigner dead and another injured in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

The briefing was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hung, deputy director of the department and head of the municipal police investigation agency, along with representatives from the Ministry of Public Security’s Criminal Police Department and Drug Crime Investigation Department, police in neighboring Tay Ninh Province, and other related units.

Under the decisive and timely direction of leaders of the Ministry of Public Security, and with support and coordination from the ministry’s departments and local police forces, officers swiftly apprehended the two suspects involved in the fatal shooting despite the pair’s highly professional methods, violent behavior, and use of military-grade weapons.

The suspects were reportedly prepared to resist arrest if detected.

Acting with determination and tactical coordination to prevent further attacks threatening public safety, the joint task force captured the two foreigners while they were hiding near the Vietnam-Cambodia border less than 72 hours after the shooting happened.

Both men were safely escorted to the headquarters of the investigative police agency under the municipal department.

During the questioning, the duo admitted to opening fire under the directive from an individual based overseas.

Investigators said the two men entered Ho Chi Minh City through Tan Son Nhat International Airport on May 14 and spent several days monitoring the movements of the two victims.

On the evening of May 21, they opened fire with three shots after the victims and their friends had finished dining at Cee’f Restaurant in downtown Ben Thanh Ward.

Based on collected evidence, officers in the southern metropolis issued emergency detention orders against the two Samoans, identified as Vaa Vaa and Tafia Steve, for further investigation on charges of murder.

Authorities also issued emergency detention orders against Nguyen Trong Nghia, 24, a passenger transport driver operating on the Ho Chi Minh City-Tay Ninh route, and seven other Vietnamese nationals suspected of failing to report the crime and assisting the two suspects in their attempt to flee.

Police said the investigation is being expanded and that all individuals connected to the case will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.