Gunned down at birthday party

By MARK SCALA and FREYA GRANT

January 8, 2004

TEENAGER Linda Huynh was celebrating at a birthday party with her boyfriend just 30m from a police station when she was shot dead.

Walking past more than 20 patrons in the hall, they entered a back room where the 18-year-old teenager from Punchbowl was celebrating a friend's birthday with her boyfriend, 19.

A pistol was drawn and Ms Huynh was hit in the chest by a bullet. Her boyfriend was shot in the right elbow and nose.

Ms Huynh and her boyfriend were taken to Liverpool Hospital by pool hall patrons.

Ms Huynh died shortly after the shooting at 11pm.

Police yesterday began investigating whether Ms Huynh was the innocent victim of a planned hit. A designated unit, Strike Force Glenlogan, has been formed to catch her killers.

Acting police superintendent Arthur Aleksandrowicz said officers were notified by ambulance staff, who received a Triple O call and arrived to find the pool hall deserted.

Police station staff did not hear the shooting and were not contacted by pool hall patrons.

Police were forced to call back the manager, who had closed the premises and left immediately after the shooting.

Supt Aleksandrowicz said the men were in the pool hall for just 30 seconds before escaping on foot along Cabramatta Rd.

"At this stage there is no motive for the attack." he said.

He asked for witnesses and the drivers who transported the victims to come forward.

Police last night were waiting to question her boyfriend, also from Punchbowl, in hospital.

Real estate agent Peter Giang, whose office is next door to the pool hall, said there had never been any trouble at the venue, which was a popular meeting place.

Fairfield councillor Thang Ngo said it was a tragedy the police station, opened last year, did not deter the offenders.

Premier Bob Carr denied the shooting meant the war against gun crime was being lost: "An incident not far from the police station does not undermine the superb work done by the police."