A man body slammed Nhung Truong when robbing her, police said. (Screenshot: Houston Police Department)
Police in Houston, Texas are searching for a suspect seen on surveillance footage body-slamming a woman during a robbery. Now that woman, Nhung Truong, reportedly says she cannot feel her left leg or walk with it.
“Unfortunately, we have received devastating news that her recovery time has been extended to over two years or even more,” Truong’s daughter Linh Thuy Duong said in a GoFundMe campaign update on Monday. “The doctor informed us that her time of recovering is unpredictable. This means that my mom is unable to work, our family must provide around-the-clock care for her.”
The family said the woman sustained a severe spinal injury.
“They don’t know when my leg can walk again,” Truong, 44, a mother of three from Vietnam, told KHOU through her daughter.
Police said Truong went to the Bank of America at 9875 Blackhawk Boulevard and withdrew a large sum of money for an upcoming trip.
“The victim then drove 24 miles to the 9800 block of Bellaire [Boulevard],” they wrote. “It is probable that the suspect(s) were watching the bank and followed the victim to her next location.”
She walked in front of a shopping center carrying an envelope containing cash, officers said.
As seen on video, a man in a red hood with white sleeves and black shorts grabbed Truong. They struggled, resulting in her dropping her possessions. The man picked something up, briefly fled, but immediately returned. Truong attempted to run away, but the man grabbed her and appeared to body slam her in a briefly edited portion of the footage.
Police said he had quickly returned because he mistakenly grabbed the wrong item and therefore came back for the envelope.
We need your help to identify the suspect wanted for a robbery by force (jugging) at a shopping center on 2/13 at 9800 Bellaire. @CrimeStopHOU pays up to $5k for info leading to the charging and/or arrest of any felony suspect.
Story->https://t.co/eJba6a65Qx @houstonpolice pic.twitter.com/LmUSrfFOdF
— Houston Police Robbery (@hpdrobbery) March 10, 2023
Crime Stoppers Houston offers an award of up to $5,000 for felony arrests and charges, police said.
Police described the stranger as a Black man in his early 20s, with a skinny build. He stood 5 feet, 8 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches, weighing approximately 140 pounds.
Police say this person body slammed Nhung Truong during a Feb. 13, 2023 robbery. (Images: Houston Police Department)
From officers:
Please contact Crime Stoppers of Houston DIRECTLY if you have any information related to this investigation. Information leading to the charging and/or arrest of any felony suspects may result in a cash payment up to $5,000. Tipsters MUST contact Crime Stoppers DIRECTLY to remain anonymous and to be considered for a cash payment by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitting an online tip at www.crime-stoppers.org or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app.
Police shared the case number as #217585-23.
Truong’s family raised more than $92,000 of a $120,000 goal as of Tuesday.
“I just need to practice, try to walk and stuff,” Truong told KHOU. “I’m very sad that this happened to me and I just want to let people know to be careful.”
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
