Twenty-seven people aged 15 to 22 have been sentenced to up to nine years in prison for participating in a street brawl in Hanoi in mid-2019.
The Hanoi People’s Court announced the sentences for the 27 defendants on Wednesday following a two-day trial.
Tran Gia Kiet, 19, received a six-year jail term for murder.
As Kiet was previously sentenced to two years behind bars for disrupting public order, his total prison term is eight years.
Other members in Kiet’s gang were given prison terms lasting for four to nine years for murder.
Hoang Duc Hong, 21, received a two-year prison term for disrupting public order.
Hong’s accessories were condemned to 18 to 30 months in jail for similar offenses.
The indictment showed that Tran Duy Hai, a member of Hong’s gang, was assaulted by four masked men on a local street at around 11:00 pm on June 12, 2019.
Hai told Hong about the incident, believing that Kiet and his acquaintances had attacked him.
The two gangs later used social media to arrange a fight to settle their dispute.
On the following day, Hai was once again attacked by about 10 members of Kiet’s gang at a local gas station.
To avenge the attack, Hong and nine others prepared iron batons and bricks to fight with Kiet’s group.
Kiet also gathered about 30 people and brough glass bottles and iron pipes with knives attached.
As they were outnumbered, Hong and his gang retreated on their motorbikes, but were eventually chased down and beaten by Kiet’s crew.
Hong suffered the most serious injury while his associates were also wounded.
At the trial, the defendants admitted to their wrongdoings and expressed regret for their impulsive action.