BullfrogKen
Moderator Emeritus
Take note of several points in the articles:
- He managed to retreat into the house; they broke down the door to gain access
- He was shot between four and six times in the leg; he bleed to death from a wound to a major artery
- Initial reports suggest the homeowner was armed himself, and managed to return fire
- This does not appear random; rarely are home invasions random events
- People are confused or engaged in self-delusion as to the safety of their neighborhood; one neighbor says "its an OK place . . . these things just happen", another reports 2 bars in the vicinity can make the place chaotic and people desperate
Patriot News link
Attackers kick in door, kill man
Harrisburg couple had run inside after altercation
Monday, December 11, 2006
BY DANIEL VICTOR
The Patriot-News
Two, maybe three, men kicked in the door of a south Harrisburg home early yesterday and shot a 52-year-old man four times with his wife in the room.
Police found Cung Ba Duong of the 500 block of South 19th Street covered in blood at 2:04 a.m., police said. Ba Duong's wife, whose name police did not release, was in the room but unharmed, police said.
Police Chief Charles Kellar said it was not clear whether the assailants knew Ba Duong, who died at Harrisburg Hospital shortly after the home invasion.
Kellar said it appears the attackers in Harrisburg's 11th homicide of the year confronted the couple as they were coming home.
"Apparently they met him outside. I guess they ran inside," Kellar said of the victim and his wife. "Somehow, [the attackers] kick the door in and got inside."
Kellar said at least two men were involved. He described them as light-skinned blacks or Hispanics. Based on information from Ba Duong's wife, there might have been a third attacker, Kellar said.
Investigators don't know the motive for the attack, he said.
"I guess a fight ensued and he was shot, four times," Kellar said. "It all went bad real quick."
Kellar said it was not clear where the couple had been. He said they might have been returning from a small business that they owned next door.
The business, which has a sign that reads "Huong Xua Vietnamese Restaurant," is unlisted in the phone book, and only a billiards table was visible inside last night.
Police have been to the restaurant before. In 2002, it was raided and Ba Duong was charged with maintaining illegal gambling devices. The disposition of the charges were not available last night.
The chief said there have not been other attacks reported in the neighborhood, which he said is generally quiet.
Christina, who lives across the street and declined to give her last name, said she didn't know Ba Duong. She said the area usually is friendly.
"It's an OK neighborhood," she said. "It's just something that happens."
A woman who said she has lived in the neighborhood for more than 15 years said she didn't know Ba Duong well but that he was friendly when they passed each other on the street. She said she was awakened by the shots.
"It's not every day" she sees violence in the area, she said, but added, "I'm not surprised."
While there have been other home invasions in the city, Kellar said this level of violence is unusual.
"This is out of the norm, and we are going to do the investigation and find out the reason," Kellar said. "Whether they knew him, we don't know that yet."
Kellar said that while area residents shouldn't panic over the attack, they need to be cautious.
"Always be aware of your surroundings," Kellar said. "If you see something suspicious, call police right away."
DANIEL VICTOR: 255-8144 or [email protected]
WGAL TV link
WGAL-TV
12:09 p.m. EST December 11, 2006
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A 53-year-old Harrisburg man was shot and killed during a robbery at his home early Sunday morning. Police said two or three gunmen forced their way into Cung Duong's home on South 19th Street, robbed him and shot him six times in the leg. One of those shots hit a major artery and Duong died shortly after being hit, according to Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick.
Hetrick said Duong might have fired his own weapon back at the intruders. It's unclear if any of them were hit.
Duong's wife witnessed the shooting. Hetrick said she suffered some bruises from being held down during the shooting.
Hetrick also said the robbers left behind some money.
"There was money on the subject. So, oddly enough, you go in, you invade and then you shoot and then either because of the excitement of the moment maybe, they just left without taking the money that was on his person, which was a larger amount than most people would carry around on them," said Hetrick.
A neighbor, Richard Brooks, said Duong ran a pool hall next door to his home.
"He didn't seem like the type of guy that would have a lot of enemies. He had a lot of friends," said Brooks.
There have been no arrests.
City spokesman Randy King said Duong had faced illegal gambling charges several years ago.
CBS 21 TV link
link to TV news clip
Harrisburg police are looking for suspects after a break-in ends with one man dead.
Police say a group of men broke into a home early yesterday morning in the 500 block of South 19th Street. They say a woman told them her husband had been shot and was badly hurt.
That man, 52-year-old Cung Ba Duong, later died of his injuries.
People who live or work on South 19th Street say they've seen other crimes but never a cold-blooded killing.
Greg Clark:
“You got two bars in the neighborhood... A lot of chaos goes on... You got desperate people in the neighborhood. Its dark, so there's a lot that can go on here!”
Police say they're looking for a group of two or three men. Anyone with information should call Harrisburg police.
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