A man is shot while driving Lian Cung Nung, a 28-year-old man from Burma, was remembered by his family as a loving husband and a funny, playful father to his three young children. He and his wife, Siang Hlei Par, had been married for seven years and were building a life together in the Cincinnati area. Lian was the sole provider for his family, which included their children, ages seven, six, and nearly two. His wife recalled their best memories as the times they spent together as a family. His cousin, Ruth Sung, described the profound shock and difficulty of his sudden and inexplicable death.
On the evening of Tuesday, July 25, 2017, Lian was driving his family home in their blue 2005 Toyota Camry. At approximately 5:10 p.m., he was traveling on the busy Sixth Street Expressway ramp leading to southbound Interstate 75 in downtown Cincinnati. His wife, Siang, was in the passenger seat beside him. Traffic was heavy, partly due to construction on the nearby Brent Spence Bridge connecting Ohio and Kentucky.
Suddenly, as they drove, the driver's side window shattered. Lian had been shot in the left side of his head. His wife only remembered hearing the window crack and then seeing her husband bleeding. After being struck, Lian's car hit the vehicle in front of it before veering to the right and coming to a stop against a guardrail. Paramedics rushed Lian to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the following evening, July 26, 2017, at 8:16 p.m.
The Cincinnati Police Department launched a homicide investigation, but the circumstances of the shooting were baffling. Lian's wife, who spoke little English, told investigators through a family friend that she didn't recall any signs of road rage, like horns blowing or sudden maneuvers, before the shot. Witnesses in the area heard what they believed were gunshots, but no one saw the shooter. There was no description of a suspect or a suspect vehicle.
Investigators recovered video from a public transportation bus that was about five cars ahead of Lian's Camry. The video's audio captured two consecutive gunshots that sounded different in pitch. Immediately after the shots, the video shows Lian's car striking another vehicle. Despite the evidence of two shots, only one bullet struck Lian, and no evidence of a second bullet was ever found in the car or the surrounding area. The bullet fragments recovered from Lian and his vehicle were too small for firearms examiners to identify any markings.
Detectives canvassed the complex network of on-ramps and off-ramps in the area. They concluded the shot likely came from an adjacent, elevated ramp leading to eastbound Fort Washington Way. Based on the height and angle required, police believe the shot must have been fired from a truck, van, or SUV, not a sedan or other low-riding vehicle. Months after the shooting, in October 2017, the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office renewed a push for witnesses, releasing photos of three cars that were near the scene in the hopes of speaking with the drivers or passengers. At the time, authorities had not determined if the shooting was intentional or a tragic accident.
The case has left Lian's family with unanswered questions and a devastating loss. "He is the only one who is responsible for our family and he's the only one who worked for us which means he is most responsible to everything," his wife, Siang, said through a translator. "We need him all the time and talk about him all the time." She expressed gratitude for the ongoing efforts to find out what happened to her husband.
As of October 2017, the investigation into the death of Lian Nung remains open and unsolved. No arrests have been made, and police have not publicly identified any suspects. Authorities continue to ask for the public's help. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call the Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit at 513-352-3542 or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward for information. 
