72-year-old Hoang Nguyen and his wife Yen went shopping at a Vietnamese market in the 3900 block of South Grand last Saturday morning just as they did every weekend. It was their last trip to the market. After leaving the store the couple was attacked by four black youths playing “knock out.” The thugs killed Nguyen in an alley.
FOX 2 has video of the couple’s last trip to the store. That is Nyuyen in the white hat shaking hands with a friend.
This was the first of several “knock-out” attacks in the city of St. Louis.
KSDK reported:
The funeral for 72-year-old Hoang Nguyen was held at Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Church in South City Thursday morning. Police say the Vietnamese immigrant is the victim of a deadly game called the ‘Knock Out’ game. City leaders are trying to get the word out.
St. Louis police and Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce are tweeting about it, they’re talking to community leaders about it, and city leaders are finding out this Knock Out game, where you attack and try to knock out someone vulnerable, may be happening more than they realized.
Hoang Nguyen’s death followed an incomprehensible crime in an alley near Spring and Chippewa. According to court documents, Nguyen was punched in his head, causing him to fall to the ground and smack his head against the pavement, allegedly by this man, 18-year-old Elex Levell Murphy, who has been charged with first-degree murder. Another male suspect started kicking Nguyen in the rib cage. And it says Murphy admitted it was part of the Knock Out game. Ward Alderwoman Jennifer Florida attended Nguyen’s funeral.
“In the words of Mrs. Nguyen, were ‘father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,'” Florida said.
Alex Murphy was charged with first degree murder for killing the 72 year-old Hoang Nguyen in a game of Knock Out. (KSDK)