Can Tho police shoot one dead in cockfight crackdown

Members of an illegal cockfighting ring in the Mekong Delta’s Can Tho City attacked local police last week, forcing them to shoot, killing one man and injuring three others, an official said Thursday.

Duong Van Tri, chairman of the People’s Committee of Truong Thanh Commune, said police launched a crackdown on the cockfighting ring near the house of Dinh Van Tiep on Thursday last week. Tiep, 67, and several other men prevented the police officers from entering the house.

Two days later, the police carried out another raid, but all ring members managed to flee the scene before they came, Tri said.

On their way back to the office, the police officers were insulted by Dinh Cong Thoai, Tiep’s relative.

When the police tried to bring Thoai to their office, they were attacked by Tiep and dozens of other people.

The police shot into the air but Tiep and his group persisted with their attack. They even captured one of the officers and beat him up, Tri said.

The officers then decided to shoot to defend themselves, hitting Tiep and three other men. As the attackers remained aggressive, the police then retreated, Tri said.

Tiep died after he was hospitalized.

The case is being investigated further.

Cockfighting is a traditional sport in Vietnam but betting on it is illegal.

Reported by Mai Tram