Viet Suspects Freed From Jail for Lack of Evidence

Six suspects arrested during a lengthy standoff with police at a Chatsworth sushi restaurant were released from jail Thursday after authorities said there is insufficient evidence to charge them.

The six suspects, whose names were not released, were arrested Monday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. At the time, police said they were members of the Viet Ching gang who had forced their way into a Van Nuys home and threatened a man who could identify gang members who had committed a robbery. Police said the gang members had lifted their shirts in front of the victim to reveal automatic weapons in their waistbands.

After leaving the Van Nuys home, they were spotted by police and followed to a sushi restaurant on Devonshire Street, police said. The restaurant was surrounded by police and ordered evacuated. Four of the suspects surrendered immediately. The remaining two were captured five hours later after police Special Weapons and Tactics team members shot tear gas into the restaurant and searched it. They found the pair hidden in a crawl space.

Investigation Continuing

On Thursday, police said they released the six because there is not enough evidence for charges related to the standoff or to the alleged threat.

“The detective had 72 hours to file a case,” Lt. Dan Cooke said. “The detective could not complete the work on the evidence in that time. They were released. The investigation is obviously continuing.”

Detective Jim Bryan said the suspects were released after a deputy district attorney assigned to the case said there is insufficient evidence of assault with a deadly weapon. Bryan declined to comment further. The deputy district attorney could not be reached for comment.

Police also said information released earlier this week identifying one of the six as a suspect in 14 robberies is in error. The suspect in those robberies, Thao Van Nguyen, was arrested separately in an investigation unrelated to the siege of the restaurant in Chatsworth, police said.