State investigators have turned over their investigation of a Hmong man's shooting by St. Paul police to the Ramsey County Attorney's OfficeOffice. Attorney General Keith Ellison will join the review of the case.
A statement released Tuesday by Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said prosecutors asked for the attorney general's help after receiving an investigative file on the shooting of Yia Xiong, 65, from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The attorney's office has also enlisted help from a nationally recognized officer-use-of-force expert who will review evidence from the incident.
St. Paul police shot Xiong earlier this year after 911 callers said Xiong threatened them with a knife. Xiong was captured on body camera footage approaching the officers with what appeared to be a blade. He died at the scene. Family and advocates defended Xiong, saying he was a traumatized war veteran who struggled with English.
"Our first commitment is to a complete and transparent review of the evidence as presented by the BCA in this matter," Choi said. "The addition of Attorney General Ellison to the review process adds a layer of trust and confidence to our process, and I am grateful for his office's involvement."
"When county attorneys ask for the Attorney General's assistance, we are ready to help," Ellison said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the Ramsey County Attorney's Office in their review of this case. We express our deepest condolences to the family of Yia Xiong as they go through this difficult time."
Footage of the shooting released by St. Paul police show officers Noushue Cha and Abdirahman Dahir confronting Xiong moments after they enter his apartment building. Xiong walks away and into his apartment, attempting to close the door before officers kick the door to keep it open.
Xiong then exits his apartment and approaches officers with a knife. Dahir yells "Stop" before shooting his department rifle five times at Xiong. Cha shot his taser.
Protests and calls for reform followed Xiong's death. Transcripts from 911 calls that day allege that Xiong refused to leave a 1-year-old's birthday party in the apartment building, tried to touch someone's daughter and attempted to give money to the children.
But advocates said that it is customary for elders to give money to children and to pat their heads, adding that he was recovering from trauma suffered during his military service.
"He was deaf in one ear, a result of his involvement in the Vietnam War. He was doing everything he could to get well again. That's why he was at the Winslow Commons," Lue Yang, Xiong's son-in-law previously said. "My father-in-law was not a threat. He was a grandfather, cornered and killed, shot five times as though his life meant nothing."
Members of the Justice for Yia Xiong coalition were unable to comment, but said they plan to meet and discuss Ellison's role in the case Wednesday.
