Police: lack of respect fueled shooting, gun was stolen

Police: lack of respect fueled shooting, gun was stolen

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Story Published: Jan 5, 2007 at 7:13 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jan 6, 2007 at 5:51 PM PDT

By Michelle Esteban

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TACOMA - Detectives say a perceived lack of respect and disagreement over money was the motive behind the deadly shooting at Foss High School that killed 17-year-old Samnang Kok.

According to court documents, Kok's classmate, Douglas Chanthabouly, 18, approached him and said "what's up" and allegedly shot him in the face without warning. Prosecutors say Chanthabouly shot him two more times.

Tacoma police officer Mark Fulghum says detectives feel confident the shooting was not gang-related, but rather fueled by a personal issue.

"There was a disagreement over property between the two and some money between the two," he said. "The suspect felt the victim owed him some money, and by not paying there are some respect issues."

And another question is answered in the case. Less than an hour after the shooting, an ATF emergency trace linked a 9-millimeter handgun used in the shooting to a gun stolen in a 1999 home burglary. Police believe it's the same gun and are waiting on testing to prove it.

"It's been floating around for seven years and we'd like to know the path it's taken, may not find every turn, but we'd at least like to find out how he ended up with it," Fulghum said.

Police searched Chanthabouly's home and found another gun and ammunition inside.

Meantime, school officials are stepping up security around the school.

Darren Pen, who works with Tacoma's Safe Streets, a non-profit organization that works to make communities safer, met with the Tacoma Police chief to discuss police protection at schools.

And more police protection is on the way for the Tacoma School District. The Tacoma Police Department plans to hire four off-duty officers to patrol Foss, and two more at Lincoln and Mt. Tahoma.

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