Nhung Truong, a 44-year-old single mother of three who was left paralyzed from the waist down following a robbery at Houston’s Dun Huang Plaza last year, is suing the shopping center where she was attacked.
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Jugging is a form of theft where the suspect follows the victim from a bank to another destination and takes the money they just withdrew. In Truong’s case, surveillance video showed the robber body-slamming Truong on Feb. 13, 2023. Truong said she was suing to ensure measures are taken to save others from suffering her same fate. She and her attorney say the lawsuit could also compel Dun Huang Plaza to reduce crime at the popular Chinatown shopping center for the benefit of the community.
“Just in the last three years from January 2021 to January 2024, the Houston Police Department alone has received 419 calls for service to the Dun Huang Plaza,” attorney Nick Ware said. “Those calls include things like reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful carrying of a weapon, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated robbery and criminal mischief.”
Troung says she doesn’t feel safe going to the plaza.
“I never expected that when the robbery happened there wouldn’t be anyone to protect or help me. I really lost faith in life,” Troung said.
Joseph Harrell, 18, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery causing serious bodily injury for his jugging and attack on Troung that reportedly paralyzed her from the waist down. Harrell was seen on surveillance video picking up the victim and body-slamming her to the ground.
During a press conference on Thursday, Troung read a statement:
“Life has been extremely difficult, especially since my husband passed away, leaving me in a short period of shock and grief, as well as the responsibility to take care of my children who were deeply saddened. I’ve struggled through that phase. Life slowly became stable, and I was a strong and healthy person, a joy and the foundation for my children. It appears time stood still and that all good things would come, but life’s hardships came one after another, and I couldn’t prevent the robbery that stripped away all my savings. Not only did it affect me financially, but I also have not recovered from the emotional impact; every day is filled with agony and fear about the future’s insecurity and instability.
From being a healthy, active person, now I feel worn out, fatigued by work, and I’ve become a shattered individual due to numerous calamities, and life’s uncertainties that have crushed my spirit. I am truly in deep pain and completely exhausted, on the brink of breaking down. If only I had been protected during the robbery, maybe I wouldn’t have ended up as harmed as I am today. I thought buying tickets during the day was a safe and simple activity.
But I never expected that when the robbery happened, there wouldn’t be anyone to protect or help me. I really lost faith in life. I hope that after some miracle, I will be able to find peace again, to stand on my own two feet. So that I can take my children to play, to school, as before. The compassion and support from everyone have made my life’s burdens a bit lighter. I’m very grateful to everyone. From what happened to me, I want everyone to be vigilant and careful whenever you go out to avoid unfortunate incidents like mine.”
KPRC2′ Re’Chelle Turner reached out to the plaza about the lawsuit and received the following statement from Deqing Yang (Darrin) at Allwin Insurance Agency:
“This is a targeted robbery case. The victim was followed by a robbery group from a bank 30 miles away to Dun Huang Plaza after she withdrew cash. As soon as she entered the plaza, she was immediately robbed. While Dun Huang Plaza has adequate security control with onsite security patrols, in cases of targeted robbery like this, the incident can happen so quickly that security guards may not be immediately available on the scene. However, upon notification, we promptly reported the incident to HPD and provided surveillance video footage, which greatly aided in the apprehension of the robbers. The government needs to work on community safety. According to news reports, in the past few years, the City of Houston has had over 260,000 cases that were not prosecuted due to a lack of employees. We definitely need a change for this, as without community protection, no area is truly safe.”
Deqing told Turner that they pay monthly for patrol, and they have a security guard whose work hours are from 11am-7am.
Attorney Nick Ware responded to the statement during the press conference and said the association needs to have adequate security to protect employees and patrons.
“That assailant who was able to wait under that stairwell would have seen multiple security officers on the premises there’s a high likelihood he would have moved on and gone somewhere else,” he said.
Ware says they plan to file a negligence lawsuit against the plaza.
SEE ALSO: ‘The money is not worth your life’: How to protect yourself from becoming a victim of bank jugging