WILSON BOROUGH, Pa. – A Northampton County neighborhood is mourning the loss of a Wilson Borough man.
Bryan Vo, 24, is dead after his brother, Thuan Vo, 21, allegedly shot and killed him.
It’s a tragedy between two siblings.
“They were so close. They were best friends,” said Lindsey Harding, a longtime neighbor. “We expect to hear the boys outside playing their music and working on their cars and laughing, and there’s nothing.”
The criminal complaint does not specifically say Vo purposely shot his brother. According to court documents, Vo is charged with one count of criminal homicide for either “intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently” causing his brother’s death.
Harding and her fiancé Chad Sanguinito, who grew up on Birch Street in Wilson Borough, heard the chaos ensue next door just after midnight on Sunday.
“I heard like a loud ‘pop’, and then a couple seconds later, I hear ‘pound, pound, pound,'” said Harding.
“It sounded like people yelling. I saw the red lights. The officers were here next door; they said our neighbors [are] involved in an incident with a firearm,” said Sanguinito.
According to court documents, Vo told investigators he and his brother were getting ready to go to a gas station for a drink, and he grabbed his gun because he was going to carry it.
The affidavit said Vo told police he and his brother had just gotten their concealed carry licenses one day before the incident.
Vo told police he was attempting to unholster the gun, saying, “I took the mag out, cock it, and then I was just like, you know what, I’m going to just aim and shot,” according to the affidavit.
Court paperwork said Vo saw his brother fall, dropped the gun, and ran over to him to apply pressure to his neck.
That’s when investigators said he called 911, first saying he accidentally stabbed his brother, then saying he accidentally shot his brother.
“We’re totally lost,” said Sanguinito.
Sanguinito said it’s hard for neighbors to wrap their heads around what happened, calling the brothers friendly, respectful, and helpful.
“They said, ‘If you need anything, let us know.’ Great boys, they’re wonderful. This is something that’s totally out of the blue. That was totally unexpected,” said Sanguinito.
“It’s two young kids. It’s kind of hard to comprehend what happened,” said a neighbor who asked to remain anonymous. “Unfortunately, there’s somebody that’s dead and somebody that’s in jail.”
A memorial with flowers and candles has been placed on the victim’s front porch.
Neighbors said the victim’s family and friends have been visiting frequently to pay their respects.
Vo has a preliminary hearing set for October 5th.