By: Robert Davis

Bill Son Nguyen, 47, entered a nail salon in Grand Prairie, Texas, struck one of the employees in the face with his pistol, and unsuccessfully attempted to set the business on fire before he was stopped by an unidentified man who was carrying a concealed handgun.

The Good Samaritan heard the disturbance from the parking lot, entered the nail salon, and held Nguyen at gunpoint until the Grand Prairie Police arrived on scene, according to a police department press release.

At the same time of the assault, Grand Prairie firefighters were battling a house fire across town. Inside the house, they found a body. Investigators stayed at the house late into the night. They identified the victim as Chai Pham, who lived in the house with her children and her sister’s two children, whom she was caring for after her sister died of cancer. Investigators determined Nguyen was connected to the house, the press release said.

One of Pham’s close friends told CBS Dallas Fort-Worth that Pham, a single mother, told her she had a new boyfriend and was excited about the relationship.

The man Pham was dating was Bill Son Nguyen. They met at the nail salon where they both worked.

Nguyen was taken into custody and has been charged with murder, aggravated assault, and arson. He is currently awaiting trial.

Robert Davis is a journalist from Colorado. He covers defensive gun use and Second Amendment litigation for Gunpowder Magazine. Contact him at [email protected].