Suspect in Stanton drive-by shooting of two teen boys extradited from Vietnam to face murder and additional charges.
A suspect in a 2025 drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy and left a 13-year-old boy critically injured has been extradited to the United States from Vietnam. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced this development on January 26, 2026, revealing that the suspect, 21-year-old Quoc-Bao Viet Le, had fled to Hong Kong and subsequently to Ho Chi Minh City shortly after the July incident.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Le was returned to the United States on January 21 and is currently being held in the Orange County Jail. The complaint suggests that the FBI believes Le’s flight to Vietnam was an attempt to evade the legal repercussions following the shooting.
Le faces multiple serious charges, including one felony count of murder with premeditation and deliberation, one felony count of attempted murder also with premeditation and deliberation, one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder, and one felony count of shooting into an inhabited dwelling. If convicted of all charges, he could face a sentence ranging from 50 years to life in prison.
The shooting incident occurred on July 5, 2025, when authorities allege that five men conspired to target rival gang members. They met at a residence in Garden Grove to formulate their plan, subsequently locating their target in Stanton. At approximately 2 p.m., the suspects, concealed by masks and travelling in a black Mercedes-Benz with an obscured license plate, confronted Samuel Vidal and his friend on Court Street. During the altercation, one assailant exited the vehicle and fired at the two boys, while another, later identified as Le, discharged gunfire from the passenger seat.
Vidal was hit with multiple rounds, sustaining injuries to critical organs, including his heart and lungs, which ultimately resulted in his death. The 13-year-old victim managed to survive despite being shot in the chest.
Since October 2025, law enforcement, including the FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, has been actively pursuing Le. The investigation also implicates other individuals. Danny Huynh, aged 24, and Troy Quang Lu, aged 21, have both been taken into custody in Orange County and face multiple felony charges, including murder and attempted murder. Another suspect, 20-year-old Ali Ibrahim Alsouqui, is believed to have fled to Jordan and remains at large.
The investigation leveraged various technologies, including license plate readers, cellular site analysis, and surveillance footage, to track down the suspects connected to the crime. The extensive coordination among local and federal agencies underscores the serious nature of the case and the commitment to bringing those involved to justice.
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