Fear Remains Among Vietnamese Despite Arrests Of Murder Suspects ‘People Still Live In Fear. If It Happened Once, It Can Happen Again.’

Spokane’s Vietnamese community rejoiced Wednesday after learning that the gang-style slaying of a Vietnamese couple may have been solved.

But while the suspects face murder charges, many Vietnamese here are still afraid to speak out about the bloodshed. They complain of being kept in the dark by police.

“We’ve waited so long for this,” said Matt Tran, owner of B & Y Market on East Sprague. “But these are just suspects.”

Police believe Run Peter Chhoun and Giao Ly are responsible for the July 12 killings of Johnny Hagan Jr. and his wife, Hong Nga Thi Pham.

Tran said most people in the Vietnamese community won’t be satisfied until Chhoun and Ly are convicted and sent to prison.

“People still live in fear,” Tran said. “If it happened once, it can happen again. It won’t be better until they have the right guy.”

Tran said some Vietnamese believed they knew the identity of the killers. But no one wanted to come forward with information, fearing retaliation by local gang members.

News of the arrests didn’t end that silence.

At Tran’s store, many customers declined interviews, and those who spoke refused to give their names.

“People want to bring this thing to the light as soon as possible,” one Vietnamese man said. “But the police are taking too long, and so the criminals are still out there.”

The community learned about the big break in the case through word of mouth.

“We’re a little disappointed at the police because they didn’t give us any information,” said Pauline Pham. “Nobody knows anything.”

That’s fanned distrust of law enforcement, several Vietnamese residents said.

Even so, most Vietnamese will be relieved to know the alleged killers are in custody, Tran said.

“They’ve felt a lot of despair,” he said. “This will give them more hope and a more secure environment.”

Many are concerned for the safety of 5-year-old Johnny Hagan III, an eyewitness in the murder case.

“I hope the law will provide protection for him,” Tran said.

Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetster said Wednesday he would look into placing the boy in a witness-protection program.

, DataTimes