Sengchan Houl: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Sengchan Houl is accused of committing the drive-by shooting that killed 8-year-old Jonah Hwang.

Pomona, California police announced the arrest on March 26.

Jonah was murdered on February 20 in a drive-by shooting that galvanized a community moved by the energetic boy who was known for his love of superheroes and who had embraced a new life in America.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Police Said Houl Was Arrested Without Incident in California

Police have released few details about the arrest. However, they did say that Houl is 35-years-old and “was arrested without incident in the unincorporated area of Pomona. He has been booked at the Pomona City Jail.”

His bail was set at $2 million. According to the Press Enterprise, Houl was arrested at 11:42 a.m. Sunday, March 26.

2. The Child Was Eating Dinner Inside a Family Friend’s Home When Slain

Jonah was shot and killed while eating dinner inside the home of a family friend in Pomona, California, reported ABC 7.

Jonah was shot in the head, and three bullets hit the home during the drive-by shooting, reported NBC LosAngeles.

According to a GoFundMe site created to support Hwang’s family, “On February 20, 2017, a drive-by shooter fired several shots into the Pomona, CA home where a few families were gathered for dinner, killing 8-year-old Jonah Hwang. His parents, my cousins Karen and Johnny Hwang, and his brother, Micah, were present and are heartbroken by this senseless tragedy.”

The house was targeted by gunfire more than once.

3. Jonah Was Adopted from an Orphanage in Taiwan & Remembered as Playful

According to the GoFundMe site, Jonah was adopted from an orphanage in Taiwan and soon acclimated to life in America.

“The devastation that we feel from this loss is unfathomable,” his family said in a statement posted on that site. “We welcomed Jonah into our family less than three years ago, after adopting him from an orphanage in Taiwan. He had an infectious smile and loved everyone and everything: sports, wrestling with his dad, running, laughing, superheroes. With his playful demeanor, he adapted almost immediately to life in the United States and became a full-blooded American in no time at all.”

Jonah’s family said, “Jonah was a light and joy in our household and we cannot imagine our family without him.”

The family is donating the money toward a scholarship in Jonah’s name, writing, “We hope that Jonah can continue to be a beacon of light in this city, and that he won’t be forgotten because of the love of so many people that have made his light shine as brightly as the person he was.”

4. The Murdered Boy Was Remembered as Loving Superheroes

One thing that stood out about 8-year-old Jonah Hwang: His love of superheroes. The theme emerged time and again as the community mourned the child.

Lawmakers in Sacramento donned superhero themed socks in the memory of the child.

The boy’s funeral also had a superhero theme, reported NBC LosAngeles.

5. A $20,000 Reward Was Announced Previously for Information Leading to the Suspect’s Arrest

The Associated Press previously reported that a reward was being offered in the case.

According to police, the $20,000 reward was offered “for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot an 8-year-old boy to death as he was about to have dinner at a Southern California home,” AP reported.

Police said they will release more information about the arrest of Sengchan Houl on Monday, March 27 at a news conference.

Jessica McBride is a Heavy contributor. She was a crime, government, and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and reporter for the Waukesha Freeman newspaper. Her award-winning work has appeared in numerous magazine, newspaper, and online publications. She has also appeared as a crime reporter on Investigation Discovery Channel, History Channel, and Oxygen Channel. She can be reached by email at jessica.mcbride@heavy.com.
March 26, 2017 9:40 pm