Dong Thap Provincial Police confirmed on 9/5 they had summoned a group of 17 teenagers, aged 15 to 18, for questioning and were preparing their case files. The group was apprehended late on 12/4 after allegedly attempting to track down a man with whom they had an earlier dispute.

The group consisted of individuals who had dropped out of school early, lacked stable employment, and frequently gathered.

The group of teenagers with weapons at the police station. Photo: An Nam

The teenagers confessed that the incident stemmed from a conflict with a local man named Tung. The dispute occurred during a drinking party they had organized earlier in Hamlet 3, An Huu commune.

Following the argument, the group retrieved weapons and returned to hunt down Tung. When they failed to locate him, they continued their search across several streets.

Late on 12/4, My Loi Communal Police received reports of a group causing a disturbance while riding motorbikes and carrying weapons. Officers were dispatched for verification. In Thai Hoa hamlet, police intercepted the 17 teenagers on motorbikes, armed with homemade knives, and brought them in for questioning.

Police seized five homemade knives and five motorbikes as evidence.

Nam An