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GREENSBORO — Hli Nie told a judge earlier this month that ex-boyfriend Hoanh Rcom shot a wall and a pet — and threatened to kill her and himself.

“He has threatened to kill me and my minor children all the time,” Nie wrote in a July 7 application for a restraining order. It was granted.

On Thursday, police said, Rcom forced his way into 1501 Brandonshire Court, Apt. 303, where Nie lived, and shot five people, killing three of them, including their 6-year-old son Jason Rcom. Also killed were Joshua Samuel Prago, 43, and Hdingh Nie, age unknown.

One caller to 911 during the commotion said he heard 16 gunshots in a row.

Prago, who lived in a converted garage apartment at 3511 Dogwood Drive, was found shot to death in a closet in Hli Nie’s apartment. Hdingh Nie died during surgery.

Jason was taken to Moses Cone Hospital, where he died.  He was a rising first-grader at Irving Park Elementary, said Nora Carr, chief of staff for Guilford County Schools.

Hli Nie was treated for a gunshot to her hand. An unidentified minor was treated for an injury that was not considered life-threatening.

The restraining order Hli Nie took out lists another child who was born in 2000. The identity of the surviving minor is unclear.

Rcom, of 3205 Presley Way, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

 Officers discovered an assault rifle on a level below the third story apartment, which they believe was used in the crime.

Rcom has a first appearance  at 2 p.m. today. According to court records, he  does not have a prior criminal record. He is being held in the Guilford County Jail without bond.

Some details regarding the relationships among the victims  remained unclear late Thursday.

What is known is that shortly after midnight authorities received a 911 call to report a shooting with multiple victims at the apartment . The first responding officer arrived three minutes later and blocked the entrance to the complex.

Apartment complex resident Sherry Geldner said she was in bed when she heard two loud bangs coming from upstairs.

She then heard screaming, then gunshots.

Geldner laid low, confused by what was going on. She then saw a man in the parking lot ram a truck into the police car, momentarily trapping the officer in the car.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “I was scared to death. I’m still shaking.”

Greensboro police Chief Ken Miller said a witness ran to his apartment, retrieved a gun and used it to keep the suspect in place until the officer, identified as A.L. Dellinger in an arrest warrant, got out of his car on the passenger side.

Miller said the officer was slightly injured.

Police said 34-year-old Rcom, who was questioned Thursday by detectives, indicated he shot several people in Apartment 303.

Guilford District Attorney Doug Henderson said it is too early to say whether this is a death penalty case.

“More often than not when you have multiple homicides ... the state does seek the death penalty,” Henderson said. “That decision has not been made.”

According to the restraining order in which Hli Nie alleged constant harassment, Rcom could only have contact with her for child visitations.

Hli Nie noted that Rcom had a permit to purchase a handgun and a concealed handgun permit.

Hli Nie and Rcom once  co-owned a nail salon off Vandalia Road but it was later sold. Some information gathered from friends and official court documents conflict — such as whether the two were ever married. In the restraining order, Hli Nie calls Rcom an old boyfriend.

“Me and my ex-boyfriend been broke up for a while but he forced me to go back and stay with him and ... I can’t do that so that why he abused me and threaten me — beat me up badly,” she wrote. “I have proof of pictures.”

Rcom was prohibited from possessing or purchasing a firearm during the term of the protective order, which was in effect through July 15, 2012.

Hli Nie also checked “no” when asked if there was any reason a law enforcement officer should consider him a threat.

Tressie Harper, Prago’s friend and co-owner of the asphalt maintenance company where he was a sales associate, said Prago and Hli Nie had been dating for four months.

Prago, who had been on several international Christian mission trips and taught soccer to youth in Kenya, had tried to talk to Rcom after he allegedly assaulted Hli Nie in June. At the time, she was reluctant to take out a restraining order against Rcom because he was helping to watch the children, Harper said.

“He said, 'Man, you know you don’t want to not be able to see your kids,’” Harper recalled of what Prago told Rcom. “Josh thought he was just jealous, but not harmful. It took him coming to the shop and threatening her again.”

By then Hli Nie had moved into the apartment on Brandonshire Court and had tried  to keep the address from Rcom. Prago took  down his Facebook page because the couple  thought Rcom might pull information from there.

Prago, who had been taking Hli Nie and her children to church with him, recently took them on a vacation with his extended family.

“I said, 'Do you really love this girl?’ He said, 'Yes, I love her,’” recalled Lindsay Cloer, a friend and co-worker of Prago’s who had seen pictures of a bruised Hli Nie. “I think he was in it for the long haul and (thinking) 'How can I punish her because of this baggage?’”

Kevin Harron, Prago’s soccer teammate at Grimsley and former roommate, said Josh was a funny, well-liked guy.

“He wanted to make life great. He knew it was a one-time deal and he wanted to make the most of it,” Harron said.

He was shocked to hear that his friend since fourth grade is gone.

“I’m 100 percent sure that this was a crime of passion that Josh just got stuck in the middle of.”

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com

Contact John Newsom at 373-7312 or john.newsom@news-record.com

Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or dioni.wise @news-record.com