An elderly man in the southern Vietnamese province of Binh Phuoc died while trying to stop local police from arresting his son, with the exact cause of death still under investigation.

Nguyen Van Nghinh, 77, who resided in Long Ha Commune, Phu Rieng District, passed away during a physical confrontation with officers trying to detain his son, 29-year-old Nguyen Van Dung, on Tuesday evening.

According to initial information, at around 6:00 pm, police in Phu Rieng, in coordination with officers in Long Ha, carried out an arrest on Dung while he was with his friends approximately 100 meters away from his house.

Upon arrival, law enforcement officers were obstructed by Dung’s family members, including Nghinh, and neighbors, prompting police to fire a warning shot in an attempt to reestablish order.

During the encounter, Nghinh suddenly fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

Police attempted to transport him to the hospital for emergency treatment; however, Nghinh’s family members did not allow officers to bring him away as they thought he was shot.

Following an explanation by the officers, Nghinh was finally admitted to the local infirmary but had already passed away.

Assuming Nghinh was killed by the police, hundreds of local residents gathered at the scene to express fierce opposition, preventing officers from continuing their mission.

Fifty additional law enforcers were later dispatched to the area to control the situation before being attacked by rock-throwers.

According to Nguyen Van Nhi, Nghinh’s other son, local residents did not allow the police to arrest Dung as they could not provide an arrest warrant.

“My father was in good health prior to the incident. After he collapsed, I spotted an injury on his forehead, which could have potentially been caused by the gunshot,” Nhi said.

He added that representatives of the police arrived at his residence on Wednesday morning to offer VND30 million (US$1,343) as support for Nghinh’s funeral.

Binh Phuoc police stated that Dung was identified as a suspect involved in an illegal gambling ring after an investigation was carried out on May 25.

An arrest warrant was also issued by the local People’s Procuracy on Tuesday morning, officers added.

Nghinh’s cause of death is being investigated and an autopsy is being conducted by a forensic agency from Ho Chi Minh City to ensure the objectivity of the result, police stated.

An official conclusion has not been announced, they said, before adding that preliminary assessment showed Nghinh’s forehead wound was not significant and was not the cause of his death.