Doan's advocacy of the recognition of the government of Vietnam and proposal that the US government should establish diplomatic ties was not universally liked in the Vietnamese community and there was speculation that he was shot by anti-Communist protestors.
Doan's efforts to gain recognition for the Vietnamese government and propose establishing diplomatic connections with the US were met with disapproval from many in the Vietnamese community, sparking rumors that he might have been assaulted by individuals opposed to communism.