Dottie Vath of Modesto reflects on the shooting death of Chanthol Ouk, shown in photo, at the home of a family friend in west Modesto on Monday, April 14, 2008. Ted Benson/The Modesto BeeModesto Bee - Ted Benson
Long Beach visitor a victim in gang-related incident, cops believe
By EMILIE RAGUSO
Long Beach visitor a victim in gang-related incident, cops believe
By EMILIE RAGUSO
eraguso@modbee.com
A father of four visiting Modesto from Long Beach for the Cambodian new year died after being hit by a stray bullet fired Sunday evening during what police believe was a gang-related fight.
Chanthol Ouk was an innocent bystander, Modesto police spokesman Sgt. Craig Gund- lach said.
Ouk, pronounced "oak," used to live in Modesto but moved to Long Beach 11 years ago, said his friend, Dottie Vath, 37, of Modesto. Ouk often visited Modesto to see friends and do business selling Cambodian DVDs.
"He knew everybody here," Vath said.
Family members described Ouk as a humble man and a devoted father.
He was the oldest of 10 siblings, said his mother, Yan Keo, 66, of Long Beach. Family members said Ouk was 48, although police reports listed him as 43.
Ouk was standing outside talking on his cell phone about 7:30 p.m. when he was struck in the upper body by gunfire, police said. He was taken to a hospital but died during surgery.
The bullet came from a fight between two groups of teens or young men arguing by a store on Chicago Avenue and Paradise Road, Gundlach said. When one group started to walk away, the other got into a small gold- or tan-colored vehicle and began shooting at them.
Detectives believe the groups may have been rival Asian-American gangs but have not confirmed it, Gundlach said.
Monday afternoon, members of the local Cambodian community flooded the west side home, near Chicago and Haron Lane, where Ouk stayed for about a week before his death.
Dozens of shoes filled the small front porch leading into a low-lit room where Vath sat with Ouk's mother, other friends and Ouk's longtime partner, Chan Khen, 40, of Long Beach.
A pot of soup remained untouched on the floor between them. On a side table, an altar had been set up around Ouk's photograph.
Some supporters, sitting cross-legged and shoeless on a floor covered by plush carpet, comforted Ouk's family and held his mother as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Others entered softly to place cash in an ornate silver vessel -- donations for Ouk's funeral.
"That's what this community does," Vath said. "It's a very close group."
Outside, children ate Popsicles and ran through a yard crowded with tables and tents left over from the weekend celebration.
Ouk was shot on the third and final day of the New Year festivities. The celebration was over and the temple where they had spent the day had closed, friends said.
Earlier, the Buddhists had participated in a traditional ceremony in which they poured perfumed water over elders and statues of the Buddha. The ceremony is intended to bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity.
Family members remarked that the timing of Ouk's death was notable.
"He was born in the Year of the Rat and he died in the Year of the Rat," Vath said. "It's odd. (His family) couldn't believe it."
Ouk's shooting was the second of the weekend. Saturday, a 13-year-old was shot outside a gas station at Maze Boulevard and North Martin Luther King Drive. The teenager remained in critical condition Monday, Gundlach said.
"It was a very busy weekend," he said. "It's a tragedy, but this is how gangs are affecting every one of us. Some people become complacent. They don't believe it really is a problem for them, but both of these shootings were in public places. It's an eye- opener for everybody. Gangs affect all of us."
Police ask anyone with information about this shooting to call Detective Eric Beffa at 342-9130 or Crime Stoppers at 521-4636. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may receive a reward.
Bee staff writer Emilie Raguso can be reached at eraguso@modbee.com or 578-2235.
A father of four visiting Modesto from Long Beach for the Cambodian new year died after being hit by a stray bullet fired Sunday evening during what police believe was a gang-related fight.
Chanthol Ouk was an innocent bystander, Modesto police spokesman Sgt. Craig Gund- lach said.
Ouk, pronounced "oak," used to live in Modesto but moved to Long Beach 11 years ago, said his friend, Dottie Vath, 37, of Modesto. Ouk often visited Modesto to see friends and do business selling Cambodian DVDs.
"He knew everybody here," Vath said.
Family members described Ouk as a humble man and a devoted father.
He was the oldest of 10 siblings, said his mother, Yan Keo, 66, of Long Beach. Family members said Ouk was 48, although police reports listed him as 43.
Ouk was standing outside talking on his cell phone about 7:30 p.m. when he was struck in the upper body by gunfire, police said. He was taken to a hospital but died during surgery.
The bullet came from a fight between two groups of teens or young men arguing by a store on Chicago Avenue and Paradise Road, Gundlach said. When one group started to walk away, the other got into a small gold- or tan-colored vehicle and began shooting at them.
Detectives believe the groups may have been rival Asian-American gangs but have not confirmed it, Gundlach said.
Monday afternoon, members of the local Cambodian community flooded the west side home, near Chicago and Haron Lane, where Ouk stayed for about a week before his death.
Dozens of shoes filled the small front porch leading into a low-lit room where Vath sat with Ouk's mother, other friends and Ouk's longtime partner, Chan Khen, 40, of Long Beach.
A pot of soup remained untouched on the floor between them. On a side table, an altar had been set up around Ouk's photograph.
Some supporters, sitting cross-legged and shoeless on a floor covered by plush carpet, comforted Ouk's family and held his mother as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Others entered softly to place cash in an ornate silver vessel -- donations for Ouk's funeral.
"That's what this community does," Vath said. "It's a very close group."
Outside, children ate Popsicles and ran through a yard crowded with tables and tents left over from the weekend celebration.
Ouk was shot on the third and final day of the New Year festivities. The celebration was over and the temple where they had spent the day had closed, friends said.
Earlier, the Buddhists had participated in a traditional ceremony in which they poured perfumed water over elders and statues of the Buddha. The ceremony is intended to bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity.
Family members remarked that the timing of Ouk's death was notable.
"He was born in the Year of the Rat and he died in the Year of the Rat," Vath said. "It's odd. (His family) couldn't believe it."
Ouk's shooting was the second of the weekend. Saturday, a 13-year-old was shot outside a gas station at Maze Boulevard and North Martin Luther King Drive. The teenager remained in critical condition Monday, Gundlach said.
"It was a very busy weekend," he said. "It's a tragedy, but this is how gangs are affecting every one of us. Some people become complacent. They don't believe it really is a problem for them, but both of these shootings were in public places. It's an eye- opener for everybody. Gangs affect all of us."
Police ask anyone with information about this shooting to call Detective Eric Beffa at 342-9130 or Crime Stoppers at 521-4636. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may receive a reward.
Bee staff writer Emilie Raguso can be reached at eraguso@modbee.com or 578-2235.
1 comment:
Fast Forward Two Years and a Laotian Couple is Brutally Murdered by the same Brutal gangs.January 2011.
The absolute ignorance of these kids shows.The Influence of Negative Peers will always have these outcomes.
The Poverty in some places along with High Unemployment along with absolute hatred and bigotry will have negative outcomes evry time too.The kids get fed up and lash out by lethal networking (AKA Punk Ass Gangs)instead of rising above somehow no matter how difficult.
Living with the hate is absurd but lowering themselves to the level of A Thug just give the haters Fodder for their righteous indignation cannon.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr said "History's biggest tragedy is not the violent acts of bad people ,but the appaling silence and Indifference of good people "
WOW that still is so true Dr King
RIP
The Peace the World may never see !
DogEatDogma.blogspot.com
PEACE
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