A tight knit Delaware County community gathered together on Friday to honor a family that was killed one year ago in a tragic shooting and house fire.
East Lansdowne's mayor said that it was not a day of sorrow but a day to celebrate the lives of the five victims.
The entire Le family was killed on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024 by 43-year-old Canh Le. They were Britni McLaughlin-Le and her husband, Xuong Le, along with their three children: Natalya Le, 17; Nakayla Le, 13; and Xavier Le, 10.
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Deadly shooting, house fire
It was around 3:47 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2024, when officers responded to a home along Lewis Avenue in East Lansdowne after a report that a child had been shot.
When the officers arrived at the scene, a gunman inside the home -- later identified as 43-year-old Canh Le -- immediately opened fire, police said.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said that the incident began after an argument erupted between Canh and his niece, 13-year-old Nakayla Le.
During that argument, Canh went to grab a Diamondback DB15 pistol with a long barrel. That's when the shooting started, Stollsteimer said.
Canh shot and killed four members of the Le family before setting the home ablaze and killing himself.
The flames, the DA said, then took the life of the youngest member of the family.
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The other two people in the house, the parents of Xuong and Canh -- and grandparents of the children -- fled outside and made the 9-1-1 call that brought police to their door, said Stollsteimer.
Two officers were hurt in their efforts trying to save the family.
Vigil one year later
On Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, the community of East Lansdowne came together to honor the Le family with a traditional Vietnamese vigil.
In attendance were friends of the family, the children's teachers and their classmates along with Mayor Majovie Bland.
"It speaks to our community, we are a great close-knit community, Bland said.
One of the officers who was hurt during the incident made it out to the vigil to honor the family.
It was an emotional night for the community where food offerings were placed by photos of the family and 17 candles were lit.
"Just couldn't believe it. We watched it unfold on TV," Dan Petruzzelli, a friend of the Le family said. "We couldn't believe that this was happening to this family."
Bland announced that the borough purchased the land where the Le family's home used to be with plans of building a healing garden for the community. The hope is to have the garden open by next year.
