Teens involved in fatal attack on Van Viet Truong freed on bail
Four youths charged over the weekend’s melee which led to the death of much-loved Sunshine shopkeeper Van Viet Truong are back walking Melbourne’s streets.
Four of the five teens allegedly involved in the fight were granted bail on Friday 7/8 —despite facing serious charges over the death of the 60-year-old shopkeeper.
A 12-year-old boy and two 14-year-old girls had spent the past days on remand but were granted bail today.
All three are facing charges of affray, violent disorder, intentionally causing serious injury and intentionally causing injury.
Another 15-year-old boy remains in custody, charged with manslaughter over the attack.
A 13-year-old boy, who was granted bail earlier in the week, has had his charges dropped.
Judge Lesley Fleming ordered the three bailed youths to adhere to strict curfews and ordered them not to contact one another.
The prosecution did not oppose bail, stating the two female accused posed no unacceptable risk to the community.
Witnesses ‘begged’ youths to stop, court hears
Mr Truong, the owner of Hong Hung Asian Grocery, tried to stop the group of youths from stealing clothes from another nearby shop on Hampshire Rd on Saturday 1/8 afternoon.
Prosecutors told the court “there were three victims” of the alleged bashing; Mr Truong and two other men who tried to stop the deadly assault.
The court heard the two other men tried to stop the group from stealing clothes from the Diamond Valley clothing store, located two doors down from Mr Truong’s shop, but “all co-accused turned on Truong and attacked him”.
The group allegedly dragged him to the ground, with one witness telling police he heard a “cracking sound” as Mr Truong hit his head on the concrete.
The two men allegedly begged the youths to stop, before a member of the group yelled “run, run”.
The court was told police found Mr Truong with severe head injuries and he had to be rushed to hospital in an induced coma —where hospital staff deemed his injuries “unsurvivable”.
Mr Truong spent 5 days in hospital as relatives from Vietnam rushed to his hospital bedside before he died on Wednesday evening.
Sunshine’s local community has been mourning the loss of Mr Truong, who had owned the shop with his wife for almost 30 years —hailing him a “hero”, “pillar of the community” and a “kind friend”.
Locals placed flowers outside his grocery store yesterday.
Prosecutors requested 2 months to prepare their evidence against the teens.
The charged individuals will appear in front of court again later this month.
