72-hour manhunt ends in arrest of 2 Samoan suspects in Ho Chi Minh City shooting

Officers captured the two while they were hiding near the Vietnam-Cambodia border, heard a press briefing chaired on Tuesday by Lieutenant General Mai Hoang, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security, to announce the initial results of a probe into the suspected murder case that occurred in Ben Thanh Ward last week.

The two suspects were identified as Vaa Vaa, 27, alleged to have shot the victims, and Tafia Steve, 23, accused of acting as an accomplice.

Killing allegedly ordered from abroad

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hung, deputy director of the municipal department and head of the municipal investigative police agency, said that police received a report at 10:10 pm on May 21 of a shooting involving the two foreign suspects armed with military-grade weapons outside Cee’f Restaurant at 70 Truong Dinh Street in Ben Thanh.

Lieutenant General Hoang immediately ordered criminal police units, task forces, and police in the ward to secure the scene, assist the victims, and collect evidence.

Investigators were urged to coordinate with units under the Ministry of Public Security and used digital mapping technology at the city’s command information center to track down the gunmen.

After the shooting, the two men returned to an apartment building in the city's Long Binh Ward, and then fled.

They later traveled by taxi to Trang Bang Co.opmart Supermarket in neighboring Tay Ninh Province, where they got out and continued their escape.

Despite the pair’s highly professional methods, violent behavior, use of military-grade weapons, and apparent readiness to resist arrest if detected, the joint task force, acting with determination and tactical coordination to prevent further threats to public safety, captured the two while they were hiding near the Vietnam-Cambodia border less than 72 hours after the killing happened.

The suspects were subsequently 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.

Based on collected evidence, officers in the southern metropolis issued emergency detention orders against the two Samoans 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.

All violations shall be strictly handled

Both Vietnamese citizens and foreign nationals must strictly abide by Vietnamese law, and all violations committed within Vietnamese territory shall be handled in accordance with legal regulations, Lieutenant General Hoang said at the briefing.

He praised the close coordination between Ho Chi Minh City police, investigative units under the Ministry of Public Security, and other forces from neighboring provinces in the case.

He also noted the joint task force moved swiftly and effectively to identify the suspects’ escape routes and successfully apprehended those involved in the shooting.

The head of the municipal department expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security for the decisive direction throughout the investigation.

“I highly value the role of the people, who accompanied and provided important information to investigators, contributing significantly to the successful outcome achieved today,” he said.

Besides, he instructed investigative units to continue expanding the probe and clarifying all related acts, including the roles of individuals who provided vehicles, weapons, or other means used in the attack, particularly those who assisted the suspects in fleeing.

Timeline of the case

Vaa Vaa and Tafia Steve flew to Ho Chi Minh City on May 14, and spent days monitoring the activities of Australian nationals Lemalu Lorenzo Tovia, 25, and Sauni Sam, 27.

On the evening of May 21, the two Australian men were dining with friends at Cee’f Restaurant on Truong Dinh Street in Ben Thanh Ward.

After leaving the restaurant, they were ambushed outside the venue.

Police received the report of the shooting at 10:10 pm the same day.

At the scene, Tovia was shot twice and found dead, while Sam suffered a gunshot wound.

Within 24 hours, investigators identified Vaa Vaa as the alleged gunman and Tafia Steve as an accomplice, reconstructing their route to and from the crime scene before ultimately tracking them to the border area where they were eventually captured.