On the evening of September 23, 1996, a sense of normalcy was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the life of 20-year-old Phong Ngoc Truong, an Asian male. The night was unfolding around 9:35 p.m. in Portland, Oregon, when the sound of gunfire pierced the air near the Viet Ha Restaurant located at 5810 NE Sandy Boulevard. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Truong lying on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
Witnesses at the scene provided a description of a man they saw fleeing moments after the shots were fired. The suspect was described as an Asian male, estimated to be between 18 and 25 years old. He was said to be about 5'6" to 5'7" tall and weigh between 140 and 150 pounds. His attire consisted of a black baseball hat, a black mid-length coat worn over a white T-shirt, and dark, knee-length shorts. The man was last seen running south on NE 58th Avenue, disappearing into the night.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, another potential piece of the puzzle emerged. Observers reported seeing a mid-1980s Mercury Caprice leaving the area. The vehicle had a distinct black horizontal stripe between its taillights, and something, possibly a muffler, was seen dragging from underneath it. It is believed that the occupants of this car may have witnessed the shooting.
Despite the eyewitness accounts and the description of a potential getaway vehicle, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of Phong Ngoc Truong. The case has since gone cold, leaving a family without answers and a community with the memory of a young life cut short. The Portland Police Bureau continues to seek information from the public, hoping that a new lead will finally bring a resolution to this long-unsolved homicide.
