A Long Beach man, Stephen Duong, is convicted of second-degree murder for selling a handgun to a teen who used it to fatally shoot 22-year-old Austin Thai during a robbery. Jurors in Long Beach Superior Court deliberated for approximately a day before arriving at their verdict, concluding that Duong played a significant role in planning the crime even though he did not pull the trigger.
On May 15, 2020, Duong allegedly provided the 16-year-old with a “ghost gun” for $1,000, which the boy later used to shoot Thai 13 times. Prosecutor Tracy Sims argued that Duong’s actions contributed to the robbery’s violent outcome, while Duong’s attorney insists that the evidence was insufficient to prove his client’s awareness of the boy’s intentions to kill. This conviction raises significant questions about accountability in firearm sales and the implications for those who facilitate violent crimes.
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