The suspect Do Cuong Minh.

Local media reported that to prepare for the meeting of the Yen Bai Province People’s Council this morning, Yen Bai’s party chief Pham Duy Cuong and the People’s Council chairman cum head of the Organization Board of Yen Bai Party Committee Ngo Ngoc Tuan went to the headquarters of the provincial Party Committee very early.

Before the meeting, at about 7am Do Cuong Minh, Head of the Yen Bai Forest Protection Bureau, went to the office of Cuong and shot Cuong in the head and chest. Minh then ran to Tuan’s office to shoot the official before shooting himself at Tuan’s office.

The three victims were brought to Yen Bai Hospital for emergency aid. A group of doctors from Hanoi’s Vietnam-Germany Hospital and Bach Mai Hospital went to Yen Bai to rescue the victims but they had died.

It is reported that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also went to Yen Bai this morning.

Yen Bai's Party Secretary Pham Duy Cuong (right) and People's Council Chair Ngo Ngoc Tuan.

The meeting of Yen Bai People’s Council this morning was canceled.

Yen Bai’s party chief Pham Duy Cuong was born in 1958 in Hanoi. He held a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in construction materials. He was a former director of Yen Bai Cement Factory, Director of Yen Bai Department of Planning and Investment and Vice Chair of Yen Bai People’s Committee.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at Yen Bai Hospital.

Ngo Ngoc Tuan was born in 1964. He was Deputy Director of Yen Bai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Party chief of Yen Bai’s Van Chan District, Deputy Director of Yen Bai Department of Science and Technology, Party chief of Yen Bai’s Tram Tau District and head of the office of Yen Bai PartyCommittee.

Do Cuong Minh was born in 1963 and served as vice head.of Yen Bai Forest Protection Agency.

The office building of Yen Bai Party Committee, where the incident occured.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc assigned Vice Party Chief Duong Van Thong to replace Cuong and Mr. Trieu Tien Thinh, Vice Chair of the People's Council to replace Tuan.

At a press conference held in Yen Bai this afternoon, the provincial chairwoman Pham Thi Thanh Tra said Minh used a K59 gun to shoot the two officials. Minh was legally equipped with the gun to serve his job as the chief ranger.

Tra also said the shooter was known to be of a calm demeanour. “He’s a nice person and always fulfills his tasks. Maybe there was one minute when he couldn’t control himself,” she said.

Regarding the question of whether a personnel organisational issue might be behind the shooting, she said she doubted it.

“We do plan to merge the forest ranger unit with the forestry unit in the coming time, but it’s a totally normal policy. We have been strict with following correct procedures, and we do care about the feeling of our colleagues,” she said.

Ms. Tra (standing) at the ongoing press conference.

Major-General Dang Tran Chieu, Director of Yen Bai Police Agency, said the incident happened quickly. Minh entered Cuong's office first, and after shooting him with a K59 gun left for Tuan's room. After shooting Tuan, Minh shot himself in the same room. A total of eight bullets were used in the attack, Chieu said.

The police officer said according to the Criminal Code, since the shooter also died after killing the victims, there will be no prosecution procedures.

The police is investigating to find out the cause of the murder.

PV