PANAMA CITY — A Springfield man authorities said shot his neighbor for disrespecting his family has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, according to court records.
Diep Hoang Nguyen, 42, told police the shooting was the culmination of a long-standing disrespect of his family by 40-year-old Kim Thanh Le. During a social gathering at Le’s home on East Ninth Street, Diep Nguyen walked home to retrieve a gun and shoot Le. The bullet incidentally exited Le’s head and struck a second man, 44-year-old Ahn Van Nguyen, in the face — permanently blinding him, authorities said.
Diep Nguyen has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He did not go into details during police questioning, and police have not released the nature of disrespect exchanged between the two men.
“He said he had been building anger at the victim for some time,” Springfield Police Department Assistant Chief Barry Roberts reported in his arrest records.
Diep Nguyen was arrested Oct. 26 after allegedly shooting two men at a social gathering in Le’s home of 3726 E. Ninth St. — next door to his own at 3730 E. Ninth St. At about 6:05 p.m. that night, he left the party and said he was going home. Moments later, Diep Nguyen returned, approached Le with a pistol and fired one shot, according to Springfield Police reports.
The bullet passed through Le’s head and struck Ahn Van Nguyen, who was seated next to Le, in the face, police reported
Le died the following morning at about 8:30 a.m. in a local hospital while Ahn Nguyen mostly recovered from his injuries, only to be left blind from the incident, prosecutors confirmed.
The State Attorney’s Office upgraded charges against Diep Nguyen to second-degree murder with a firearm, aggravated battery and felon in possession of firearm. Police reported Diep Nguyen admitted to the shooting. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Dec. 3, according to Bay County Court records.
Court records indicated Diep Nguyen previously assaulted another man with a firearm in 1999 but did not intend to kill him. He pleaded no contest afterward to aggravated assault for firing three shots intending to scare the man but none of the rounds were live.
Diep Nguyen is being held without bond in Bay County Jail.
