HCMC – Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested two foreign nationals accused of using a military-grade firearm in a shooting that killed one Australian national and seriously injured another.
The arrests were made in coordination with units under the Ministry of Public Security and police forces in other localities. Authorities said the suspects were apprehended within 72 hours after the shooting, preventing an attempted escape toward the Vietnam–Cambodia border and helping maintain public order.
The investigation results were announced at a press briefing on May 26 chaired by Lieutenant General Mai Hoang, director of HCMC Police, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Investigators issued emergency detention orders for two Samoan nationals identified as Vaa Vaa, born in 1999, who is accused of carrying out the shooting, and Tafia Steve, born in 2003, who allegedly assisted in the shooting. Both are under investigation on alleged charges of murder.
Authorities also detained Nguyen Trong Nghia, 24, a passenger vehicle driver operating on the HCMC–Tay Ninh route, along with seven others for allegedly failing to report the crime and assisting the suspects in evading capture.
According to investigators, the shooting occurred at around 10:10 p.m. on May 21 outside the Cee’f seafood restaurant at 70 Truong Dinh Street in HCMC’s Ben Thanh Ward. Authorities said the suspects had monitored the movements of two Australian nationals since they entered Vietnam through Tan Son Nhat International Airport on May 14.
After the victims left the restaurant on the evening of May 21, the suspects allegedly fired three shots using a military-grade weapon, killing Lemalu Lorenzo Tovia, born in 2001, at the scene and seriously injuring Sauni Sam, born in 1999, who remains under treatment. The suspects then fled and attempted to move toward the Vietnam–Cambodia border area.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hung, deputy director of HCMC Police, said the city police leadership ordered criminal investigation officers and Ben Thanh Ward police to secure the scene immediately, collect evidence and coordinate with ministry-level investigative units.
Authorities said investigators used the command center’s digital mapping system to reconstruct the suspects’ movements and identify their escape route. Through coordination among HCMC Police, Ministry of Public Security units and Tay Ninh police intercepted and arrested the suspects near the border despite the risk of resistance, before transferring them back to HCMC for investigation.
During initial questioning, the suspects reportedly admitted carrying out the shooting under an instruction from an individual located overseas. HCMC Police said the investigation remains ongoing and authorities are expanding inquiries into the involvement of other individuals and any support networks linked to the case.
