Logo
 
 
Updated Nov. 30, 2004, 10:10 a.m. ET

Immigrant charged with gunning down six deer hunters

HAYWARD, Wis. (AP) — A Hmong immigrant fatally shot six deer hunters who managed to shoot back once — maybe twice — after a confrontation about trespassing in the woods of northern Wisconsin, according to a criminal complaint charging him with murder.

Chai Vang, 36, was charged Monday with six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He could get life in prison if convicted in the shootings, which also left two people wounded. Wisconsin does not have a death penalty.

Two of the survivors told investigators that no one in their group pointed a gun at the Minnesota truck driver before he opened fire, according to the complaint. Four victims were shot in the back.

Vang, jailed on $2.5 million bail, faces six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He was expected to make his initial court appearance Tuesday in jail instead of a nearby courthouse because of security concerns, authorities said.


Story continues
advertisement

The gunfire broke out Nov. 21 after Vang was caught trespassing on a hunting platform on some of the victims' land.

According to the complaint, Vang said that he opened fire after the others took a shot at him first and berated him with racial slurs. He allegedly told investigators he shot some of the victims because he thought they were going for guns or had guns, and that he did not shoot at others although he could see they were armed.

Vang also told investigators he saw one of the hunters still standing, yelled "You're not dead yet?", fired a shot and ran. He had an empty rifle when arrested several hours later.

The criminal complaint also said Vang told investigators that the victims fired at him twice — including the first shot when he was walking away after being told he was trespassing.

Two of the survivors, however, told authorities Vang fired the first shot. Funerals for two victims were held Monday.

"Most of us are just as confused and lost and stunned as we were when we first heard about it," the Rev. Jim Powers told several hundred mourners at a service for Jessica Willers, 27. "We need to work through this and we need to help others work through it."

At another church, mourners paid their respects to Dennis Drew, 55, a father of three who grew up on a dairy farm, served in Vietnam and returned to raise his family.

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, whose office is prosecuting the case, refused Monday to address specific questions about what took place, including who she believes fired the first shot.

E-mail | Print




advertisement
 

 

Contact us
©2007 Turner Entertainment Digital Network, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
CourtTV.com is a part of the Turner Entertainment New Media Network.
Terms & Privacy Guidelines

 
advertisement