back 3 times. Xiong is convinced Cha Vang was killed because he was Hmong. Two of eight Wisconsin deer hunters survived a shooting rampage Nov. 21, 2004, for one reason: The enraged killer ran out of ammo after firing his SKS 7.6239 semiautomatic rifle 22 times. Vang, who lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota at the time of the shootings, is imprisoned at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, as of 2006. The whites never called 911 dispatch to report an emergency, but rather one of their cop friends. Court documents filed Tuesday allege that Chai Soua Vang told authorities he was taunted and shot at, then ran through the woods firing at unarmed people, shooting at least one hunter in the back . With content streaming every single day, readers can turn to The Crime Center to fill their true crime needs. Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! His father was a lieutenant and his mother a nurse in the Hmong Army. I felt a burning and felt a ripple through my Judge Norman Yackel ordered Chai Soua Vang, 37, to serve six life prison terms, one after the other . Prosecutors could still ask the court for permission to amend their complaint by adding a hate crime charge. She argued Vang would kill again unless he was locked up for the rest of his life, given his explosive temperament and lack of true remorse or regret. No shell casing was ever recovered from Willers' gun even though during the trial Hesebeck admitted to firing a single shot later during the incident when Vang, noticing that Hesebeck was still alive, fired at him again. I'm afraid that we will have missed the boat in not addressing this as a hate crime. | Ive loved true crime since Forensic Files was Medical Detectives. Willers said he dropped to the ground and heard Vang fire at him. Before noon . His second marriage ended after he nearly choked his wife to death for gambling away $3,000. plans and enthusiasm Vang raised his rifle in one smooth, continuous sweeping motion as he circled right, kneeled, and aimed at Willers. . They only talked a little about what happened. Vang pleaded self-defense, alleging that white hunters confronted him after unintentionally trespassing. He dragged the unfamiliar rifle alongside his body to feel for the safety, and pushed it in. Gen. Peg Lautenschlager, who led the cross-examination of Vang. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? One of the wounded hunters died the next day, bringing the toll to six. Vang is believed to have fired about 20 rounds from a Saiga rifle chambered in 7.6239mm, which was recovered by police. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Hmong liaison is Kou Xiong. That shooting had nothing to do with deer hunting, Bartz said. After a 30-yard gap opened between Vang and the six men, Vang crouched, unslung his shouldered rifle, and flipped a quick-disconnect lever to remove its scope. Thinking Jessica and Laski were likely armed and looking for him, Vang waited until they passed. Vang began to walk away but then turned and opened fire . . On the 21st of November, 2004, Chai Soua Vang, 36, went on a shooting spree that would end up killing 6 and severely injuring 2 more. need your help for this. Everyone deals with tragedy and its repercussions differently, and thats no different for the victims families. Further, none of the 83 cases listed from 1920 through 1999 involved hunters. Willers and Hesebeck indicated only one shot was fired at Vang by Hesebeck, who was already wounded while some of his friends lay mortally wounded on the ground. Married with 3 children. Within several minutes, eight hunters were shot; six with fatal wounds. Hesebeck also admitted that he told law enforcement that Robert Crotteau had problems with trespassers in the past, specifically citing Hmong hunters, who often travel to Wisconsin from Minnesota to hunt. Nov. 21. Meteor extends over a large sparsely populated area. He was a murderer.. Investigative Journalist | Criminology, Psychology & Sociology B.A. Vang, a 36-year-old National Guard veteran who lives in St. Paul, Minn., told jurors that the violent confrontation happened after he inadvertently trespassed on private property in Rice Lake, Wis., and one of the hunters swore at him and used racial slurs. 2023 Minnesota Public Radio | All rights reserved, Listen to an excerpt of Terry Willers' testimony. Prosecuted by Wisconsin's attorney general herself, Vang was sentenced to six consecutive life terms, guaranteeing that he would never be released from prison. Among those killed were father and son Robert and . Shot once through It brought racial and safety concerns that still linger. An officer waiting for Vang placed him into custody and transported him to the Sawyer County Jail. Phil Spector and the Murder of Lana Clarkson. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. I was afraid, Vang said. Drew was among the six hunters shot to Rice Lake. Vang, a six-year veteran of the California National Guard, shot eight people while on a hunting trip in northern Wisconsin on November 21, 2004; six were killed and two were wounded. What triggered such cold, deadly rage? for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4. All were relatives and friends who gathered to hunt from the Crotteaus cabin near Exeland. Thinking Jessica and Laski were likely armed and looking for him, Vang waited until they passed. The Marinette County District Attorney charged 28-year-old James Nichols with first degree homicide, with being a felon in possession of a handgun, and with concealing a corpse. Are you a very good marksman? Lautenschlager asked. Vang eventually came across another hunter riding an ATV (who had no affiliation with the victims), and this hunter offered to give him a ride, eventually taking him to Vang's cabin. Kou Xiong says Wisconsin's regulations are published only in English and he does not anticipate a Hmong language version anytime soon. Authorities say Nichols shot Cha Vang and stabbed him six times. After next ambushing and killing Laski and Jessica Willers on Laskis ATV, Vang returned to retrieve his scope and leave, thinking he had killed every witness. Dick Campbell, a spokesman for Cha Vang's family says he has faith that the authorities who have to make that decision will make the right call. Brandon said he talked to hunter Lauren Hesebeck, who'd also been shot. 12:00 a.m. Sept. 17, 2005: For The Record Los Angeles Times Saturday September 17, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 57 words Type of Material: Correction Hunter trial -- An article in Fridays Section A about the trial of a man accused of killing six hunters in Wisconsin said Chai Soua Vang faced two counts of attempted murder. Chia had 4 siblings: Unknown Vaj and 3 . Chai Soua Vang, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is a Hmong immigrant from Laos who lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota at the time of the shootings. Bartz and Culhane said it was distressing to hear and read racial slurs against the Hmong community after the murders, but said its simplistic to say racial tensions triggered the crime. The sadness of it all never leaves, said Culhane, who covered the six-day event. No doubt news of that shootout has anti-gun and anti-hunting activists clucking . He learned that everyone was back in camp, so Willers walked to the treestand, told Vang to come down, and directed him to head east 100 yards and get off the property. This week, the two surviving witnesses told jurors that Vang fired first. Willers lost his oldest daughter and Bob Crotteau, his best friend and co-worker, and other friends. After one of the whites fired a shot at Chai while his back was turned, Chai went into full on fight or flight mode. About 5:30 p.m., with darkness deepening, conservation warden Jeremy Peery noticed an ATV heading west on the Serley Camp Trail toward his post at the intersection with DeJung Road, roughly 2 miles south of the crime scene. I was squirrel hunting with an air rifle, my Beeman R9. Long-lost ship found at the bottom of Lake Huron, confirming story of tragic collision, TikTok to set default daily time limit of 60 minutes for minors. Other than Vang, Willers was the only other man there with a gun. sentencing of Chai Soua Vang in Hayward. I feel that he did the best action a doomed man could do. "(I) asked what happened, and Loren said, 'He opened up on us.' Whitetail hunting strategies for the next generation. Vangs first shot missed but the second hit Crotteau in the chest, instantly killing him. He had caught an ATV ride out of the area, which was swarming with law enforcement by then, but was taken into custody about 3 1/2 miles from the murder scene when Jeremy Peery, now a DNR conservation warden supervisor in Eau Claire, recognized the number. Shooting survivor Terry Willers and his wife Patricia walk out of They occurred about 30 miles from Rice Lake. He wasnt the victim. (Bob Crotteau) started yelling profanities at Vang, and apparently used some racial epithets., Culhane had a similar take. This publication will provide readers with the best true crime content on Medium. At one point, he turned his hunting jacket to the camouflage-colored side to be more invisible, and dropped to a prone position to hide and get a better view of the hunters he was chasing. The landowner confronted him and Chai apologized, asked for directions back to public land, and left. He pointed it again and fired once. concrete business in Rice Lake. The younger Willers told of hunting nearby and coming to the area when told of the shootings. She also leaves behind eight sisters and six brothers. He didnt resist. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Soua Vang of Banning, California, who passed away on February 8, 2023 at the age of 79. Chai Soua Vang, charged with killing six hunters and injuring two others in the woods of northwest Wisconsin in November, took the stand Thursday and outlined in chilling detail how he attacked the hunting party as they ran for cover and screamed for help. Vang, a naturalized citizen from Laos who came to the United States in 1980, said he was trained as a medical specialist by the military and earned honors as a sharp-shooter. Bob Crotteau was asking for Vang's identification, using, Willers says, a "stern" voice. The Aryan Brotherhood. There is no photo or video of Soua Vang.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. . Willers said he didn't hear any threats against Vang, although he couldn't understand all of what was being said. As he was walking away, Vang said he heard Willers tell the other hunters about his trespassing. "I'd like to see it, but you've got to have the budget for it. the back twice. Brandon Willers drove his father to the hospital. This study analyzes Chai Soua Vang's testimony in the 2005 murder trial. No apologyAttorney General Peg Lautenschlager sought the maximum sentence for Vang, a father of seven children. Tree Stand Murders Whitehurst, David B., "This true story splashed all over the news on November 21, 2004. MurderPM. Vang lived in Sacramento and eventually enlisted in the California National Guard. Social Media: Facebook - h Meanwhile, although cell phone service was weak and intermittent, those in camp had summoned state police, conservation wardens, and sheriffs departments. Vang's body was found with a stick lodged in his mouth and was partially concealed by a log. Share Follow Report this obituary Events There are no events at this time. The slayings occurred during the states beloved deer hunting season and exposed racial tension between the predominantly white north woods residents and immigrants from the Hmong ethnic group. When I shined my flashlight on the passenger, I saw he was wearing camouflage and he fit our suspects description, Peery said. Vang said he hadnt noticed any No Trespassing signs, apologized to Willers and asked where the property line was located. All in all, a good kill/death ratio. The murderer was sentenced to what is effectively life in prison. The Murder of Shanda Sharer. Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager asked. the Murderpedia project stay alive. Willers told Vang he was trespassing and directed him away. Whitehurst described the standoff: Their eyes met. Chai Soua Vang (born September 24, 1968) is a naturalized Hmong American from Laos who was convicted of murder, but claimed self defense. Privacy Policy. Soua Vang, age 79, of Banning, California passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Vang is a 36-year-old hunter accused of killing six other hunters last weekend during a confrontation in Wisconsin. That manChai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a certified sharpshooter and six-year National Guard veteranopened fire by first shooting the group's only armed hunter. The shooting followed a racially charged trespassing confrontation.. Willers could hear their voices, and recognized Bob Crotteau, who owned the property with Willers. Six years in the California National Guard, 19891995, Sharpshooter qualification badge (mid-level, above ", "Victims in the Shootings That Killed Six Deer Hunters,", This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 04:34. The Hmong immigrant was found guilty of murdering six deer hunters and wounding two others during a confrontation over trespassing, rejecting his claims he shot in self-defense after one hunter used racial slurs and another fired at him. He bragged to coworkers about poaching deer on land he owned in Minnesota, and had citations for trespassing and going over bag limit on fish. All the while, chaos filled the forest as the hunters fled, screaming in terror. Additional forensic analysis of Willers' gun was not performed by the local law enforcement which caused the court to take a break from trial. Everybody whos wearing the gray shirt knows what happened, he said. Nobody really forgets.. Times Staff Writer. Drew family. Their conversation was polite and Vang apologized. Xia Soua Chang was 85 years old when he recently passed on December 5, 2017. Willers used a handheld radio to ask the people still in the cabin whether or not anyone should be in the stand. But Willers had radioed to his hunting party in a nearby cabin. They read aloud his number, and Terry Willers wrote the number in the dust of an ATV. Vangs first shot missed Willers as he ran and dove for cover, but Willers landed atop his rifle and couldnt turn over before Vangs second shot hit his lower left neck, paralyzing him. Willers, meanwhile, had regained feeling in his fingers, and called the cabin for help. As the white population share of the US decreases, the white far right are increasingly forming militia groups; obtaining combat training and experience from the military and joining police departments. Still, Kohn was not able to break new ground that would explain how he intends to show that Chai Vang was frightened for his life. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Vang, now 46, is serving a life-without-parole sentence - six consecutive life terms plus . Bail for James Nichols was set at $500,000. They occurred about 30 miles from Rice Lake. Mike Bartz, a retired Wisconsin conservation warden, was the senior law enforcement officer at the crime scene that day. Vang's body was found with a stick lodged in his mouth and was partially concealed by a log. Chai Soua Vang (born September 24, 1968) is a naturalized Hmong American from Laos who was convicted of murder, but claimed self defense. Not long after, a similar incident occured where an elderly Hmong man accidentally wandered into a white man's private property and the white man beat the elderly Hmong man to death. [2] The cold brutality of it all; especially how Vang hid as the ATV approached with the young woman. (Pool photo via Associated Press). Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. The saying "Not a Chinaman's Chance" came from the biased judges and jury when an Asian would go to court against whites. Rice Lake who had moved to Green Bay. Shot in the back twice. Vang's lawyers commented that some of his abnormal remarks were due to the language barrier. He wanted to know whether Willers was aware of Chai Vang's ethnicity. Vang, a six-year veteran of the California National Guard, shot eight people while on a hunting trip in northern Wisconsin on November 21, 2004; six were killed and two were wounded. Vang didn't respond, and at some point Bob Crotteau told the others to let Vang go. Vang, 46, was convicted Sept. 16, 2005, in Sawyer County Court of six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and three counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. 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