One Year-ago Vietnamese woman, Bich Cau Thi Tran was killed by Police
Slaying spurs reforms
For local Vietnamese, July 13, 2003, is more than the date when Bich Cau Thi Tran died. It symbolizes the day they emerged as a power to be reckoned with at San Jose City Hall. That evening, a San Jose police officer fatally shot the 25-year-old mother of two as she waved a vegetable peeler that was mistaken for a cleaver. The tragedy united Vietnamese as never before, leading the community to exert a newfound political influence. A year later, San Jose's Vietnamese are more vocal about police conduct, and a pan-minority coalition has been created to seek reforms. [more]