Man Fatally Shot in Robbery in Front of His Apartment

A 66-year-old Takoma Park man who taught languages and wrote poetry was fatally shot during a robbery Monday night in front of the apartment where he lived.

Victor Dao was shot about 10 p.m. in the 8600 block of Flower Avenue, Takoma police spokeswoman Carol Bannerman said.

"The victim reportedly complied with the property demands, after which a shot was fired," Bannerman said. Police did not release information on what was stolen.

Dao was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead about 1 a.m. yesterday.

Bannerman said police were looking for two suspects who wore black clothing and ski masks during the robbery. Some witnesses told police they saw a dark, late-model SUV leaving the scene.

"One ran from the scene, threatening witnesses who had responded to the sound of shots," Bannerman said. The man fired a shot from his gun as he ran, but the bullet did not strike anyone, she said.

Dao, who was multilingual, lived in the apartment with his sister, neighbors and police said. A woman who answered the phone at the residence declined to comment.

A neighbor, Dorothy John, described Dao as a friendly and gentle man who "always had a smile on his face." He was often sitting in front of the apartment building playing his guitar, she said.

"I would ask him if he could play a song for me," John recalled. "He would make something up, and we would laugh."

Dao had a page on the Web site http://www.poetry.com on which he reported that he enjoyed writing pedagogical songs and poetry in various languages, including Vietnamese, French and Spanish. He included a sample, "Hello! This is me!":

Vietnam, I am from.

In these U.S. I live.

Cultures, I'm concerned with,

Teaching being my job.

Monday night's shooting occurred about two miles north of the scene of the city's previous homicide. On March 2, James Saloma, 62, of the 7100 block of Maple Avenue had a fatal heart attack after being struck by a teenager suspected of burglarizing his house. The teenager was charged with first-degree murder.

Takoma police ask that anyone with information about Dao's slaying contact police at 301-270-1100 or Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 800-673-2777. A $1,000 award is being offered.