Minneapolis police officers who fatally shot an armed man in north Minneapolis last year will not be charged, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.
Police shot Chiasher Vue on Dec. 15, 2019 on the porch of his north Minneapolis home. Vue was taken via ambulance to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police said an autopsy report by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office determined that 13 police bullets struck the 52-year-old Chiasher Vue, causing his death. Additionally, they say Vue fired a semi-automatic rifle 13 times. His blood alcohol level was .20.
In a press release, Freeman said the officers took "numerous steps to avert this outcome," like bringing in Hmong-speaking officers to speak with Vue, whose daughter said only spoke Hmong.
Freeman's statement continued: "But ultimately, Chiasher Vue rejected the offers made to him and began firing his rifle, endangering the lives of the officers and nearby residents. Under the totality of the circumstances, the use of deadly force by the officers was necessary, proportional to the threat and objectively reasonable.”
The press release concluded with a summary of the Hennepin County Attorney Office's decision: "In this situation, the officers at the scene knew that Chiasher Vue had fired shots inside his house, scaring his children. When he stuck his head outside the porch door, it appeared he was going to surrender. But when he went back inside, grabbed his gun, and pointed it at officers, he had escalated the situation and the nine officers were presented with a clear threat of immediate great bodily harm or death. No criminal charges are warranted."
In the weeks following the 2019 shooting, Minneapolis police released the names of the nine officers who fired shots:
- Sergeant Troy Carlson
- Officer Donnell Crayton
- Officer Daniel Ledman
- Officer Kyle Pond
- Officer Andrew Reed
- Officer Travis Williams
- Officer Jason Wolff
- Officer Aaron Womble
- Officer Toua Yang
Also in the weeks following the shooting, MPD released employee complaint records for each officer. Sergeant Troy Carlson, a 14-year veteran and the Fourth Precinct Patrol Supervisor that night, had been disciplined in the past on more than one occasion for use of force. Another officer involved, Daniel Ledman, was disciplined previously in a responsibility for inventory of property incident; and Officer Andrew Reed was disciplined in the past for his handling of firearms.
In the news release published on its website, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office included a description of what happened Dec. 15 according to an investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). That detailed account can be read here.
