In a tragic turn of events on a late Tuesday night in February 2018, a family dispute in Denver's University Hills neighborhood escalated into a fatal confrontation, leaving a father and son dead. Quyen Le, an 86-year-old man, was killed in his home by his son. The man, who was born in Vietnam, became the victim of a violent outburst stemming from familial strife.
The incident began to unfold when a concerned family member called 911 to report that his brother, 52-year-old Peter Le, was
at their father's residence on South Clermont Street, harassing the elderly man. When a Denver police officer arrived, he found another brother outside who informed him that Peter was inside, armed with a gun and a knife, and was threatening their father. The officer entered the home and found Peter Le holding his father, Quyen Le, at gunpoint as he lay in his bed.
For approximately six minutes, the officer attempted to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly pleading with Peter Le to drop his weapons. Peter, who was visibly agitated, refused to comply and continued to threaten his father's life. The standoff reached a devastating climax when Peter Le shot his father multiple times. In a near-simultaneous response, the police officer fired at Peter Le.
Quyen Le succumbed to his injuries at the scene. His son, Peter Le, was transported to a local hospital where he later died from the gunshot wounds he sustained. An investigation into the incident revealed that the dispute was connected to a civil lawsuit involving another family member. The Denver District Attorney's Office later released a report on the shooting, detailing the tragic sequence of events that led to the deaths of both father and son.
