The Vietnamese community in Oklahoma City has vocalized their demand for justice following the dismissal of a felony assault charge against an OKC police officer, Sgt. Joseph Gibson, who was involved in a violent encounter with 71-year-old Vietnamese American, Lich Vu; Vu sustained injuries, including a brain bleed requiring surgery, as a result of being taken to the ground by Gibson during a traffic stop altercation in October, as reported by the News9.
Community members expressed their frustrations and fears at a recent OKC City Council meeting, divulging not only their own souring trust in law enforcement but also laying bare a narrative of skepticism that could pose as a rift between the police and immigrant communities, which was captured in the passionate testimonies and sentiments of those in attendance, concerns that emerged publically after Attorney General Gentner Drummond dropped the charges against Gibson, who remains on administrative leave pending an internal OKC Police Department investigation—a decision that has kindled significant community tension and prompted planning for a protest by the Asian Task Force of Oklahoma, according to OKC FOX.
In speaking to the Oklahoma City Council, Thuan Nguyen, president of the Vietnamese American Heritage Community of Oklahoma, highlighted the dismay and discord the incident and subsequent legal decision had sown among his community, stating, "The attorney general's decision to dismiss the officer from a criminal charge was very unsettling to our community and many in the room," and emphasizing the emotional tumult it has spurred, as captured by The Oklahoman.
Details of the case including the bodycam footage which showed Vu in an animated exchange with Gibson pre-incident, and Vu’s consequential hospital stint to address a brain bleed were highlighted by the Asian Task Force of Oklahoma, the group that criticized the dropping of charges and has since been the driving force of the planned protest, intending to use this civic gesture to hold the city accountable for what they deem as an act of unnecessary violence and an issue of broader concern to the Asian community and beyond—the efforts and actions of this group reflect a continuing unrest that isn't satisfied with the trajectory of this case so far, and their advocacy for Vu channels a belief that justice has not been served in this instance.
