# Police go to wrong house



## dosch (May 20, 2003)

Police go to wrong house; shots fired
Associated Press
Published Monday, December 17, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS - Police believe they received some bad information and executed a search warrant on the wrong house early Sunday when two officers were shot at and hit, but were protected by bulletproof vests and helmets, a police spokesman said.

"It was some bad information that was received on the front end and it's unfortunate because we have officers that were hit by gunfire and this truly, truly could have been a much worse situation," said Sgt. Jesse Garcia.

A SWAT team entered the home on the city's north side shortly after midnight as part of an ongoing investigation by the Minneapolis Police Violent Offender Task Force, the police department said in a news release.

Family members living in the house said they were upstairs when they heard someone bust through their back door. They said Vang Khang grabbed his hunting gun to protect himself, his wife and his six children.

"He thought they were gang members and he was scared," said Vang's brother, Dao Khang. Dao Khang said Vang fired a warning shot, and then two more shots through his closed bedroom door. The bullets hit two officers, but they weren't injured.

Several officers returned fire but no one in the house was injured, the department said. The man suspected of firing the shots was taken into custody, police said. He was later released.

The officers, who weren't identified, were placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated, which is standard procedure. Police hadn't determined whether charges would be filed against the shooter.

Vang's family said he was trying to scare the intruders away and didn't know they were police officers executing a search warrant.

The officers said they identified themselves as police. Garcia said a language barrier may have created the misunderstanding.

Vang's family said he and his children, who range in age from three to fifteen, are still shaken.

"All these gunshots in the house. They don't know what's going on. Flying bullets in the house and they just cried," Dao Khang said.

Can't blame the guy. I would do the same myself!!


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

dosch said:


> The officers said they identified themselves as police. Garcia said a language barrier may have created the misunderstanding.


Another reason that English should be made the official language of the USA and everyone should be forced to learn and use it.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Yeah, good point about the langauge idea. :beer: 
I also think that it should mandated for buying hunting and fishing licenses because, here we have had some arrest of people being over their limit, and when the officers asked them questions they couldnt speak english. Im not saying that those are the only people that break the laws, but I think that it eould over all to have a national language.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

RELEASED?? ALright if a cop busts into your house and IDENTIFY's Himself and you shoot at him, you are going to prison. Wow if he gets off there is something wrong with this country. When a SWAT team comes into a house it is a scary thing. There is about 10 guys in all tach gear screaming as loud as they can POLICE get on the ground.

:eyeroll:


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

Yes, but the guy didn't know english, if someone came into your house yelling something you didn't understand, im pretty sure you would be scared, you might not blind fire, but not many people would have the courage to wait in a situation like that.


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## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

This happened in a high crime neighborhood in North Minneapolis.

If you are a law abiding citizen living in a neighborhood like that, the first thing you do is grab your gun when someone BREAKS THROUGH YOUR DOOR.

I agree that as an American it might be a good idea to have a solid grasp of the English language, but _perhaps_ the real issue here is the incompetence and stupidity of Minneapolis's finest, at least concerning this particular event.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

You know, if a guy is sound to sleep and you are woken and startled --don't know what the heck is happening--I'd have done the same. Remember they enter and surprise people to get an advantage against the bad guys. But when you are a good guy, it causes confusion to say the least. Sometime is is also known as the fog of war--non unintended targets sometimes get hit by friendly fire.

For those that have never stared down the business end of a gun, be thankful. I had armed robbery before. And we all hear about home invasions and car jacking and the such. It puts you on edge. And when you are doing nothing wrong--who is thinking of police breaking down your door? I'd be thinking armed robbery and thus defending myself.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Unfortunate situation. I agree everyone should know English. Another thing, we shouldn't keep reading about police going to the wrong place. They better not arrest the guy they (the police or someone) have some responsibility here. Your perhaps more likely to get shot breaking into the house of someone innocent. Why would police be breaking down the door of an innocent person? Also, if you're a gang breaking into a persons house what better thing to do than holler police, police, everyone on the ground. 
I know there is a problem that if police give to much advance notice the perps will flush the drugs. On the other side of the coin maybe you better make darn sure your at the right house and have identified yourself. If they don't do that then they better kiss momma good-bye before they get careless. 
Lets for the moment forget the guys name is Vang. That sparks a little prejudice doesn't it? This is an unfortunate situation for everyone, and it took mistakes from both sides to come to this. They all need to take their lumps and forget it. There will be people blame this on the police, and those who blame it on the shooter. The answer isn't that neither are to blame, the answer is they are all to blame.


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## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

Plainsman said:


> The answer isn't that neither are to blame, the answer is they are all to blame.


What should Vang Khang be blamed for?


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Did he see a gun? If not, he isn't in immediate danger for his life. Yes, they were coming in his house. But, as much as all of us hate to admit it if someone comes in your house you are obligated to try and get out. The only way you can shoot is if you A. Can't get out, or B. are staring down the business end of the gun. Obviously the cops felt they did something really wrong, because they let him off. Could he be sitting in jail for the rest of his life? YES.

Let's chalk this up as a lesson and thank god no one got hurt. This is one of my fears as I get into LE. I have been on the business end of guns, yes it was in training, but it feels the same, and is treated the same. Man talk about intimidation when they are coming in.


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## bmxfire37 (Apr 26, 2007)

this can go so many ways another reason why i support my fellows


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Did he see a gun? If not, he isn't in immediate danger for his life. Yes, they were coming in his house. But, as much as all of us hate to admit it if someone comes in your house you are obligated to try and get out. The only way you can shoot is if you A. Can't get out, or B. are staring down the business end of the gun. Obviously the cops felt they did something really wrong, because they let him off. Could he be sitting in jail for the rest of his life? YES.
> 
> Let's chalk this up as a lesson and thank god no one got hurt. This is one of my fears as I get into LE. I have been on the business end of guns, yes it was in training, but it feels the same, and is treated the same. Man talk about intimidation when they are coming in.


I know that those parameters may be the law, but where I live in the middle of rural North Dakota, if someone breaks in my house in the middle of the night I'm not obligated to do anything but defend my home and my family. I may or may not look for a weapon but I damn sure am not running way from what's mine.

It is an unfortunate incident and I think that Vang Khang was fully in his right. Come on...middle of the night, high crime area, door comes down and in bust these guys. I can't even imagine the cofusion and fear that this fellow must have felt for his family and himself.

I'm glad no law enforcement officers were injured during this assualt, but I would certainly think that a professional organization could come up with better intel than what they had here. Maybe they better groom some different informants. Likewise, I'm glad that Vang Khang and his family were not injured as well.

Good hunting,
Dan


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## Cyrus (Nov 24, 2003)

dfisher, I couldn't agree more.


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## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Did he see a gun? If not, he isn't in immediate danger for his life. Yes, they were coming in his house. But, as much as all of us hate to admit it if someone comes in your house you are obligated to try and get out. The only way you can shoot is if you A. Can't get out, or B. are staring down the business end of the gun. Obviously the cops felt they did something really wrong, because they let him off. Could he be sitting in jail for the rest of his life? YES.
> 
> Let's chalk this up as a lesson and thank god no one got hurt. This is one of my fears as I get into LE. I have been on the business end of guns, yes it was in training, but it feels the same, and is treated the same. Man talk about intimidation when they are coming in.


Dfisher summed it up very well.

Come on man, put yourself in this guy's shoes. He's not in immediate danger because he does not see a gun?

And what would he be sitting in jail for the rest of his life for? That can't be accurate.


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## fylling35 (Jun 15, 2007)

English is a MUST...How do people move to a different country and think that I didn't need to be able communicate with the people there?

But...I would do EVERYTHING possible to protect my family in ANY situation. I respect him for that.


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## dogdonthunt (Nov 10, 2005)

obviously the end of this video dosent pertain to this debate but the begining does and this video of uncle TED sums up the Right to defend youself......


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## walker (Sep 27, 2007)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Did he see a gun? If not, he isn't in immediate danger for his life. Yes, they were coming in his house. But, as much as all of us hate to admit it if someone comes in your house you are obligated to try and get out. The only way you can shoot is if you A. Can't get out, or B. are staring down the business end of the gun.


I think deadly force laws vary by state. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Doctrine


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## walker (Sep 27, 2007)

Makes you kind of wonder how they got the search warrant. Hmmm ... you think anybody ever knew which house was the target in the first place other then via "bad information". Yikes!


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## Quackkills9 (Oct 25, 2004)

> Another reason that English should be made the official language of the USA and everyone should be forced to learn and use it.


Wouldnt do me good.. Maybe ASL too---American Sign Language--- for the deaf people like me.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Don't get me wrong I would protect my house and family, but if the guys are screaming POLICE, and have on Tach gear I best not be shooting. I am suprised something worse didn't become of it. Look up the shooting statistics of SWAT team members. It is somewhere in the 80% nation wide. Meaning in gun battles they hit 80% of the time. As for there oponents something like 9%.

It ended about the best it could have. Swat teams get bad info all the time. heck watch texas swat. Many times on there it has happened. They pay for the damage, and clear up the mess. Sorry, this is a loosing cause for me trying to justfy them doing there job. They get the order to go in. So they do. They are fired upon, thus there training kicked in, they shot back.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

The Police have absolutetely no right to violate a persons civil rights when the person/s living there have done nothing wrong to begin with.

Pay for property damages, big deal. How about the psycholological damages?

I bet a few here have been burglurized before. It changes your outlook in life and you never had cantact with them. Those that have been there know exactly what I am talking about. Now have an unexpected home invasion--whether it be LEOS or bad guys. Get my point of what that may do to people? So do not under estimate how it can change people as a result on an unexpected invasion.

As for the 2 options of flee or have to see a gun 1st before deadly force can be used. Well that is what some liberal lawyer wrote and the liberal lawyer politicians passed and that people have to abide to in MN if you have conceal carry permit. And that is why I do not have a conceal carry permit. As without one, I am not obligated to abide by some snivelling liberals lawyer code of conduct that says you can only shoot in certain circumstances. Sometimes a situation does not fit nice and neetly into what they allow. Sometime one needs options. And yes, not shooting is the best, but if pressed to the degree that I feel my life in is danger, shots may or may not ring out--each and every situation is differrent.

As for the langauge barrier. Well there are many types of communication barriers. Think not? How many here are or have family members that is deaf? Either partially or totally? I am legally deaf as 3 of 7 hearing ranges are gone--can not hear a thing in the 3 ranges. I bet more than a few here have GParents or Parents that are really deaf--like the TV is 3 times louder than what you would listen too. My only point is there are different communication barriers out there that the LEOs encounter.

So would some of your views be different if his last name was a German or Norwegian name? My Dad was born in America(2nd generation), yet spoke German because all the relatives were German and spoke it exclusevely. All I am pointing out is that speaking the language that your relatives speak is nothing new, and that many of your relitives did the same thing that some are accusing current immigrants of doing.

So my Dad did not know a lick of English when he started grammar school. The school master would hit his knuckles with the wood ruler every time he spoke german and say "Nein spreken de Deutsch" and say English only. This was 80 years ago. Now I'm not saying that we should force children in this matter to speak English, but it does need to be taught. And if you immigrate here--regardless of where you come from, you need to learn to speak and understand basic english by all adults and kids. It should be part of the deal to come to the US. If they do not agree to this--well then don't come to the USA. Make it a part of the requirement, as in a litmus test, after 3 years they need to understand basic English or you will be deported. Geee, I wonder how many would then apply themselves and learn english? But it'll never happen due to the liberal lawyers saying that would be violating their civil rights---you know that is what is wrong in the USA--Until you are a citizen--you should have no civil rights. Granted they should have rights as a human being, but if not a citizen they should not be extended civil rights or any other rights like voting, driver lic, health care, etc., including social security, wtc... Yet I am for helping immigrants to learn, like free schooling to learn english, our driving laws, our societies laws, etc...

If any of you drive in the Cities, they allow immigrants driver licenses when they do not understand english, the traffic laws, or anything. Talk about crazy drivers--like blowing through stop signs, etc... They should NOT have a right to get a DL until they understand the laws and have insurance 1st and them give them a provisional DL to be reviewed and taken away if violations. Heck they do that to the teens now that are citizens. Why not do that with immigrants? Hellooooo! Anybody in the Govt listening to common sense anymore?


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## fargojohnson (Oct 17, 2005)

if they can't speak english how did he get a "hunting gun"....


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Don't get me wrong I would protect my house and family, but if the guys are screaming POLICE, and have on Tach gear I best not be shooting. I am suprised something worse didn't become of it. Look up the shooting statistics of SWAT team members. It is somewhere in the 80% nation wide. Meaning in gun battles they hit 80% of the time. As for there oponents something like 9%.
> 
> It ended about the best it could have. Swat teams get bad info all the time. heck watch texas swat. Many times on there it has happened. They pay for the damage, and clear up the mess. Sorry, this is a loosing cause for me trying to justfy them doing there job. They get the order to go in. So they do. They are fired upon, thus there training kicked in, they shot back.


I'm not saying that they were wrong in doing their job when told to do so. But, if intel is that bad, in that business, wouldn't whoever is in charge of the SWAT teams start asking a few questions or doing a little investigation themselves before storming a house that might be the wrong target? I mean how many times does a team need to go to the wrong place? Until someone gets killed on the team, or an innocent home dweller gets whacked for trying to defend themselves?

I think SWAT has there place in the law enforcement hierarchy. Hostage situations, terrorist situations, some of these school shooting situations that have been going on. That sorta thing. On the other hand, I don't think that SWAT has any business storming houses in the middle of the night unless they are 110% sure that a damn dangerous element is working out of that house and civilian exposure is at a minimum.

Happy Holidays,
Dan


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