31 Facts About Chai Vang

Chai Vang, who lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota at the time of the shootings, is imprisoned at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, as of 2006.

Chai Vang was born in Laos to a family of Hmong descent.

Chai Vang lived in Sacramento and enlisted in the California National Guard at age 21.

Chai Vang served from 1989 to 1995, during which time he was decorated with a Good Conduct medal and attained a sharpshooter qualification badge.

Chai Vang is a family shaman and was a hunting enthusiast.

On Christmas Eve 2001, police responded to a 911 call from Chai Vang's house, according to a Minneapolis Police Department report.

The quarrel allegedly began when Chai Vang said he wanted to go out and his wife, Xiong, did not want him to leave.

Terry Willers, one of the two co-owners of the land, left the cabin and saw Chai Vang sitting in a deer stand.

Chai Vang then apologized and started moving south towards a trail through a forested area of the property.

Chai Vang raised his rifle in one smooth, continuous sweeping motion as he circled right, kneeled, and aimed at Terry Willers.

Chai Vang's first shot missed Willers as he ran and dove for cover, but Willers landed atop his rifle and couldn't turn over before Chai Vang's second shot hit his lower left neck, neutralizing him.

Chai Vang instantly turned toward the men on their machines and shot Roidt; the round killed him before he fell, as his ATV, still in gear, moved slowly forward.

Chai Vang sprinted to cut the corner to the trail, to close the gap, and shot him in the lower back at about 65 yards.

Chai Vang reloaded, and approached closer, as Crotteau struggled forward, and shot him again.

Chai Vang then closed in and shot him twice more from behind, including a final round into his head.

Chai Vang, after reversing his blaze-orange jacket to its camo side, hid near a curve in the trail when he heard the ATV approaching.

Chai Vang ran over, shot Laski through the back, and then stepped behind Willers, and fired a shot through her neck.

Chai Vang returned to the site of the first shootings to retrieve his scope.

Chai Vang dragged the unfamiliar rifle alongside his body to feel for the safety, and pushed it in.

Chai Vang then heard a slight metallic sound from Vang's rifle, and realized Vang was out of bullets.

Chai Vang fled the scene on foot and discarded his remaining ammunition, later stating that he did not want to shoot anyone else.

Chai Vang eventually came across another hunter riding an ATV, and this hunter offered to give him a ride, eventually taking him to Chai Vang's cabin.

Chai Vang was arrested when he returned to his cabin five hours after the shooting.

An officer waiting for Chai Vang placed him into custody and transported him to the Sawyer County Jail.

Chai Vang stated that race was a factor, alleging that during the verbal dispute, some of the local hunters yelled out racial slurs at him such as "chink" and "gook".

The criminal complaint states that Chai Vang shot four of the victims in the back, and Chai Vang himself admits he shot one victim in the back.

Chai Vang told the jury he feared for his life and began firing only after another hunter's shot nearly hit him.

Chai Vang further testified that Joseph Crotteau "deserved to die" because he accused Chai Vang of giving him the finger and "tried to cut in front of me to stop me from leaving", further saying that Alan Laski had provoked him by using a gun to threaten his life.

Chai Vang re-enacted his deeds while on the stand, using his hands and arms to imitate the motions of firing a rifle.

Chai Vang's lawyers commented that some of his abnormal remarks were due to the language barrier.

Therefore, when Chai Vang responded affirmatively to the question that the Crotteaus and Laski "deserved to die," he had misunderstood Lautenschlager's question and had meant that the men contributed to the circumstances that led to their deaths.