The shooter and four victims from the East Lansdowne shooting and fire on Feb. 7 died of gunshot wounds, while the youngest victim, Xavier, age 10, died of smoke inhalation, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said Wednesday.
Family members Xuong Le, 40; Britni N. McLaughlin-Le, 37; Natalya Le, 17; Nakayla Le, 13, were the other victims. All the youths were children of Le and McLaughlin-Le.
Stollsteimer held a press conference to give the scientific results of the investigation.
He said the Delaware County Medical Examiner’s Office was able to identify the three children using dental records, and with assistance from Montgomery County District Attorney’s office using Bode Technology instant DNA identification system were able to identify the three adults.
With Canh Le, 43, the brother of Xuong Le, who committed the heinous crimes dead, the case will soon be closed, Stollsteimer said. There was no information about how the fire started.
Stollsteimer said investigators were able to make a determination what happened that day from interviewing the surviving grandparents, Houng Le, 74, and Chin Le Le, 72, and officials’ knowledge of events.
“Canh Le got into an argument with the middle child … that argument turned deadly when he went into his bedroom on the second floor and pulled out a Diamondback DB semiautomatic pistol — it’s a pistol but with a long-gun barrel — he used then to shoot the other members of his family,” Stollsteimer said. “The grandfather is the person to make the first call to police and as that call was being made gunfire was taking place inside the home.”
The Diamondback Model DB-15, was purchased legally by Canh Van Le on July 16, 2020 in Delaware County.
Stollsteimer said that call was made outside the home reporting the 11-year-old girl being shot.
After shooting members of his family, Canh went to the third floor and with police coming on scene he shot two officers as well as aiming at other officers. Police later found two police cars had bullets in them.
“Police were coming to rescue an 11-year-old girl,” Stollsteimer said.
Stollsteimer said the response of police was heroic and techniques they used should be taught in the police academy.
He noted that East Lansdowne Officer John Meehan suffered a serious wound, yet returned fire.
“He’s trying to save an 11-year-old girl. Somehow, he was able not only to return fire but to reload his weapon using one arm and continue firing until Upper Darby police were able to get him out of the scene,” Stollsteimer said.
East Lansdowne police Chief John Zimath said Meehan is at home, and has a long road to recovery.
“It’s too early to tell what’s going to happen. He has some medical procedures he is handling,” Zimath said. “Overall he is doing OK. He’s at home.”
Lansdowne Officer David Schiazza is doing very well, said Lansdowne police Chief Kenneth Rutherford.
“His wounds are healing and he is able to drive himself to follow up appointments but I don’t have a date of return to work,” Rutherford said “He’s doing very well and he is healing quickly, physically.”
Stollsteimer lauded the efforts of the police to get to the victims.
The DA said that when he arrived at the scene on Feb. 7, Radnor police Superintendent Chris Flanagan, who is also a trained firefighter, was standing there holding a hose with other first responders, and directing officers with assault rifles where to shoot at the upstairs windows.
He also noted they used a police SWAT armored vehicle to pull down the front of the house as it burned just in the hopes to give someone an escape.
“They were so desperate to get inside that house,” Stollsteimer said.
Stollsteimer said the reason for the dispute between the niece and uncle will ever be known and Canh took the “why” to his grave.
Stollsteimer said the rifle was found attached to Canh and was the only weapon found in the home. His body was found closer to the front of the house, which collapsed, and the other family members’ bodies to the rear of the home.
“This poor victims at least died together,” said.
“This is an absolute unmitigated tragedy for everybody in this community. My heart goes out to the McLaughlin and Le familes. There is nothing we can ever say that will heal their wounds but we wanted to add some closure,” Stollsteimer said.
Stollsteimer said the grandparents were in shock after the shooting as everything they built as refugees following the fall of South Vietnam was destroyed.
Stollsteimer said there was no sign that Canh had any reported mental health issues.
East Lansdowne Mayor Majovie Bland said it was too early what would become of the property as the lot is still private property and it was unknown if a memorial would be erected.
“We are still hurting,” said Bland. “This is a process we will be going through for a very, very long time.”
There will be a community get-together on March 9 in which the borough will partner with the Red Cross and the William Penn School District with resources to help residents.
On Sunday, William Penn School District held a Celebration of Life to remember the Mclaughlin-Le family.
