‘There’s no words to describe this’: Friends mourn couple killed in South Bay crime spree
Before Phuc and Nguyen Pham were killed in front of their home during a violent South Bay crime spree, the couple could often be found sitting on their porch or tending their garden, stopping to talk with anyone who walked by.
The Phams, who were in their 70s, died suddenly Thursday when the man suspected of the three-hour rampage ran over them in a stolen car in their driveway in San Jose. The suspect in the violent spree, Kevin Parkourana, 31 of San Jose, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of high-jacking vehicles, ramming the cars into pedestrians and stabbing multiple people — leaving three dead — including the Phams — and five others injured.
Though authorities have not officially identified the victims, the Phams were identified to this news organization by a relative as well as a close friend.
“At our age, we see people pass, but not like this,” said Phu Phan, a close friend of the family, tearing up while looking at the Pham’s home. “There are so many streets in San Jose. Why did this person choose this one here? There’s no words to describe this — it’s really tough.”
Phan said the couple had previously owned Quang Da, a Vietnamese restaurant on Santa Clara Street, a half-mile away from their home. After transferring ownership of the restaurant more than a decade ago, the couple spent most of their free time with their friends.
The close-knit group would catch up every Friday at the Phams, Phan said. He recalled how Nguyen would often disappear for 15 or 20 minutes, returning to the conversation with lunch she had whipped up in her kitchen.
“We came here for a place to be together,” Phan said. “You could drop by anytime; if they were home, you were welcome.”
On a Saturday, a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles had spread on the sidewalk in front of the Phams home. A framed message read: “Rest in Peace Mr. & Mrs. Pham We are praying for your family.”
The Phams and other victims of Thursday’s attacks appeared to have been targeted at random, authorities said. As of Saturday, the motive for the attack remained unclear. The investigation, police said, is ongoing.
Parkourana, the suspect, had a history of mental health holds and criminal behavior and felonies, including bomb-making and threatening a man with a dagger. He was out of jail on active probation during the crime spree. He acted alone, police said, and was arrested on multiple counts of homicide and attempted homicide.
The crime spree began not long after 3 p.m. on Kooser Road and Dellwood Way, near the Parkourana’s family home in San Jose, when Parkourana allegedly carjacked a tan Honda minivan and stabbed the male driver, who was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Twenty minutes later, police said, Parkourana stole a Honda Pilot in a shopping mall parking lot on Hillsdale Avenue and stabbed the male driver, who was critically wounded. Parkourana then hit a pedestrian before heading toward downtown San Jose and, at 4 p.m., rammed another pedestrian, then stabbed him, according to police accounts.
About 10 minutes after that, police said, Parkourana turned the car onto 16th Street and slammed into the Phams, as well as another person, who survived. Video footage of the attack outside the Pham’s home provided by a neighbor shows a dark SUV accelerate into a driveway and disappear behind a hedge just before a crash and loud tire screeches can be heard on the audio. The car then makes a quick U-turn, reappearing in the frame and driving away.
Parkourana subsequently hit someone riding a motorized scooter while heading north toward Alum Rock in San Jose, police said. That victim’s condition is unknown.
Parkourana then allegedly stabbed another person inside a Smart & Final on Jacklin Road in Milpitas. That victim died in the hospital. Parkourana was apprehended at 6:15 pm, after being swarmed by Milpitas police on Arizona Avenue, more than three hours after the killing spree began.
Later that evening, police swarmed the Parkourana home, deploying a SWAT team and a drone, according to video taken by neighbors. Two squad cars stayed at the home throughout the night, Paige Stanton, a neighbor, said.
From Stanton’s perspective, Parkourana’s family was like any other. Parkourana’s brother lives with his wife and kids on one side of the family’s duplex, while Parkourana lived with his parents in the other unit.
Up until this year, Stanton said, it was typical for police officers to visit the Parkourana home every month or two. But there hadn’t been much activity at the home for the past six months, Stanton added.
Her father, Donovan, was surprised to learn their long-time neighbor was the suspect in the violent spree.
“If he would have just came across the street and tried to start stealing cars, it could have been one of us,” he said.
“Just the other day before all this, he was out there with his mom and he looked like everything was fine,” he added. “I hadn’t heard anything for quite some while, and then everything just went awry.”