Botched Police Raid: Waiting For Answers
It has been more than two months since I toured a home in north Minneapolis where a police SWAT team was sent to execute a high-risk warrant at what turned out to be an innocent family's home. The images from my visit are unforgettable. The week before Christmas, bullet holes and shattered glass were the "decor" that day -- next to dozens of photos of the Khang family, toys and a holiday tree. A ball-peen hammer left behind by the officers was still on the kitchen floor.
Six children were asleep in their beds on a Saturday just after midnight when their parents were frightened by the sound of strange voices and breaking glass. Fearing violent criminals were breaking in, the mom, Yee Moua, grabbed her cell phone to call 911 for help. The dad, Vang Khang, grabbed his shotgun to protect his family.
Khang fired three shots at the intruders, who returned fire with more than 20 rounds into the couple's bedroom. As it turned out, the "intruders" were not violent criminals but members of the MPD's SWAT team who thought they were at the home of a Rolling 60's Crips street gang member. The SWAT team had been sent there by the MPD's Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF) to look for guns. That's what a woman had told VOTF officers they would find there.
We later learned the informant gave police a fake name and fake address when she said she lived at 1321 Logan Avenue North with a gang member who had threatened her with a gun. The VOTF officers also apparently didn't know her real name was Morgan Ashley Young and that she was on the run for felony prostitution and drug charges in Dodge County.
Since no one was injured in the raid, the story of what happened there soon faded from the news. But more than two months later, I still often think of how easily this innocent family's home could have been a violent crime scene where a child or an officer could have been killed in the shootout. Those horrific possibilities are what prompted me to recently do a series of I-TEAM reports on the steps that led up to the raid.
Our investigation uncovered many unanswered questions. The key ones: what basic investigative steps were or were not taken by VOTF officers that led them to send in their SWAT team to an innocent family's home in the middle of the night? Also, what standard procedural steps did the SWAT team take before their officers raided the Khang's home? Finally, what steps have been taken since then to make sure similar mistakes aren't repeated by VOTF?
Officers often complain about getting second-guessed on split-second decisions made on the streets. I get it. But this raid wasn't one of those cases: it followed a tip that came to officers 17 hours earlier on the day before. Many officers were involved in this episode, including a lieutenant who supervises the elite VOTF unit, which targets gangs and drugs.
I will continue to keep close tabs on the MPD's internal review, which is expected to be completed in about a month. To me, the fact that the bullets flying in the raid didn't hurt or kill a child, a mom, a dad or a police officer doesn't make this case any less serious of a concern than other incidents with more tragic outcomes.
It's hard to say how many of the questions about what led to the botched raid will be answered publicly. In most critical incidents I have reported on in the past, it was rare for anyone to be disciplined and the results of the internal investigations often stayed under wraps.
As the MPD continues its internal investigation, we will also follow other steps in the legal process connected to the police raid.
The city is in talks with a legal team representing the Khangs. Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger and a prominent Hmong attorney, Sia Lo, have been hired by the family.
Authorities in Dodge County and Hennepin County continue to search for Morgan Young, the mystery woman who started the investigation last Dec. 15 that led to the raid at the wrong house. A warrant in Hennepin County was issued two weeks ago when she failed to show up for a traffic court appearance in Minneapolis. A gun charge was dismissed against Young that day by the Minneapolis city attorney's office but a warrant was issued for being a no-show on the traffic charges.(Minneapolis police found a gun in the car she was driving last fall after it was stopped on a traffic violation and towed. Another person was also in the car so a city prosecutor ended up dropping the gun charge.)
Meanwhile, the woman's former boyfriend, Jermaine Brown, is scheduled to go on trial in April. He is accused of threatening Morgan Young with a gun and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Brown has denied both allegations and agreed to give a DNA swab to police to clear his name on the gun charges. (Brown and Young were living together when she went to police under another name last Dec. 15 and made the claims which started the ball rolling which led to the raid on Logan Avenue. Brown claims she went to police after they argued at his home on Oak Park Avenue North where she had been living for several months. Brown says the night before the raid, Young borrowed his car to go to the store to buy cigarettes and that was the last he has seen of her or his car.)
By continuing to report stories on the raid at the wrong house, I hope to help minimize the chances of another innocent family going through a similar ordeal -- and also spare a SWAT officer a round of gunfire from a dad protecting his kids.
I-TEAM: 911 Tapes From Police Raid At Wrong House
I-TEAM: Investigating Police Raid At Wrong House
I-TEAM: Raid Tipster Gave Police Wrong Name
Police Searching For Guns In Raid At Wrong House
Property Records Search May Have Prevented Raid
Chief Apologizes To Family Over Mistaken Raid
Experts: Raid Mistake A 'Fact Of Police Work'
7 Officers On Paid Leave After Raid Goes Awry
Police: Not To Blame For Raid Into Wrong House
Cold Cases to Get Fresh Looks From Police
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008 -- 1:45 p.m.
Minneapolis police recently assigned two former
homicide investigators to a newly created cold case team. Sergeants Barbara Moe
and Tammy Diedrich will sift through evidence
in storage to see if they meet the criteria for review. A key factor is whether
there is enough physical evidence in a case to test for DNA.
At least
one of the Minneapolis
cases assigned to the cold case team had already been reopened. It involved the
murder of Suzanne Sayles, who was raped and strangled in her apartment in 1979. Suzanne was 24-years-old
and working as a secretary at the University of Minnesota Dental School when
she was killed.
After
friends contacted WCCO last winter about the case, it was reopened and assigned
to Minneapolis
investigator Mike Keefe. Lt. Keefe re-interviewed many friends and relatives of
Suzanne's, including her elderly parents who still live in Austin, Minnesota.
He also obtained DNA samples from more than a half dozen men who either were
friends of Suzanne or had some other connection to her apartment building. So
far, there have been no DNA matches with evidence found at the crime scene.
Keefe is now in another assignment at the MPD and the cold case team will pick
up where he left off.
The
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also has a cold case unit and St. Paul police plan to create
a cold case team in May.
You can
check out the report we ran on Suzanne Sayles in February of last year or go to our Cold Case page at to watch other cold cases
we have profiled in the past two years. It was heartbreaking meeting her
parents and seeing her pretty pink bedroom which they have just the way it was
28 years ago. If you would like us to consider a profile on a case,
contact me at cplowe@wcco.cbs.com. Thanks.
Caroline
Lowe
Police Ride-Alongs
Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2007 -- 10:34 a.m.
The tragic ending of a police ride-along early New Year's morning in Ramsey County will likely prompt law enforcement agencies throughout the area to review their own ride-along policies. The facts are still trickling in about the circumstances of the fatal crash which happened when Maggie Lopez accompanied her deputy husband on patrol and his squad collided with a wrong-way driver on Highway 10 in Arden Hills. Deputy Joseph Lopez survived but his wife died at the scene. Investigators say the 23-year-old driver had signs of alcohol in her system when she was taken in critical condition to the hospital.
In the 30 years I have been at WCCO, I have been on dozens of ride-alongs. Most have been in Minneapolis or St. Paul. Sometimes, I have also had a photographer with me when I was doing a particular story, such as the recent one we did on the Hennepin County warrant team. But more often than not, I ride alone with officers to get a better understanding of "real" police work, not just the stuff you see on TV shows.
In most of my experiences, the four to eight hours I typically spend on a shift aren't very "exciting" compared to what is shown on COPS or fiction shows. They often include calls to family disputes, a check on a house where a burglar alarm has gone off and a couple of traffic stops. What they usually lack in Hollywood-style calls and chases they more than make up for as windows showing typical police work. That's why I always encourage new reporters to spend an evening riding in a squad without a camera to get a feel for what it's really like on patrol.
Several people I talked with since yesterday were surprised that the Ramsey deputy had his wife riding with him on New Years. I wasn't. Many officers I know have had a spouse, a parent or other relative accompany them on patrol to see what a "typical" shift is like. Sometimes they bring students who are considering careers in law enforcement.
In the hundreds of hours I have spent on ride-alongs, I have never had any close calls. Rarely have I heard of others who have been in situations like the one that took the life of the deputy's wife. However, I am sure there will be many departments taking a closer look at their own guidelines, and potential liability, in the wake of what happened in Ramsey County.
In you are interested in doing a ride-along, contact your local police department to find out their rules and guidelines. Minneapolis police have posted their guidelines -- and a copy of their release form -- on their Web site if you want to check them out.
The Urban Youth Hub -- A Place Of Hope For Minneapolis Kids
The news has been full of stories in recent weeks about gun violence involving young people -- both as victims and as suspects. One report revealed 50 percent of all violent crimes in Minneapolis are committed by juveniles. It's a depressing situation -- for the journalists who report these stories and for the community.
That's why it is such a treat to be able to tell you about a new place of hope in the heart of South Minneapolis. On Thursday, the Urban Youth Hub opened on Fourth Avenue, just off East Lake Street.
Interim Police Chief Tim Dolan, former Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and Council Member Don Samuels joined a couple hundred people to celebrate this new community treasure. The "Hub" is in the same neighborhood where Prince grew up, and it features a stage and recording studio where future "Princes" can develop and showcase their talent. Another highlight includes the city's only indoor skateboard ramp. It's also a place where kids needing assistance with homework or mentoring will find adults here to help them.
Lots of people have been involved in raising money and working to make the "Hub" a reality. A key supporter is V.J. Smith, who runs <a href="http://www.mplsmaddads.org/about.html" target="_blank">MADDADS</a>, located just next door.
The "Hub" needs more funds for its recording studio, as well as volunteers to mentor young people. I have already recruited Don Shelby and photojournalist Dave Chaney to help out. If you'd also like to get involved, call 612-638-1027 or go to <a href="http://www.urbanventures.org/" target="_blank">www.urbanventures.org</a> for more information.
Lakeville Police Show Visits WCCO Newsroom
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2007 -- 12:11 p.m.
In recent years, I have been a guest on several local cable TV shows, including ones in Minneapolis and Rochester. One of the first shows of this kind was created by the Lakeville Police Department 22 years ago, (and the host, a rookie officer named Tom Vonhof, is now the Chief!)
The cable shows are one way police departments take their stories and messages directly to the communities they serve. Some police chiefs are also embracing the Internet where they write columns or blogs.
Officer Rick Bussler is the current host of the Lakeville police show. Bussler and a photojournalist/producer, Jim Schiffman, recently visited our newsroom to see a "typical" day in my life as a crime reporter. It was fun having them hang out for awhile- And old home week for Jim Schiffman who worked at WCCO back in the 1980s.
Rick is also very much at home in a newsroom. He started his career as a reporter covering the crime beat for an Austin, Minnesota television station before making a career switch to law enforcement. I met Rick at the Minnesota State Fair five years ago when we both walked the beat as foot patrol officers.
You can check out Rick's piece on WCC0 by going to this link.
Video Of A Man Being Tasered Shortly Before He Dies
Video released today of a Polish immigrant being jolted by a Taser at the Vancouver airport is difficult to watch
and already stirring up debate over the use of the 50,000 volt stun guns. The
incident was captured on camera by another traveler at the airport last month.
CBS news is running this story
tonight, along with video from a story we first reported on the Minneapolis police
department two weeks ago. For the past several months, the MPD has been using
Tasers equipped with cameras to capture encounters between police and citizens.
As soon as an officer turns on his or her Taser, the incident is captured on
video and audio. Police officials believe Taser cameras will help keep officers
accountable to the community since each incident is reviewed by a supervisor.
As part of the story, MPD Taser
trainers allowed me to try out the new Taser cam as I confronted a "bad guy"
with a knife. It was a lot more fun doing this story than the one I did with
St. Paul police
a few years ago and actually "took the ride" on the receiving end of a
Taser!
You can check out that story and the
video we have from several Taser cam incidents in Minneapolis.
Video Web Extra: MPD Taser Cam Video
Video Web Extra: Caroline Lowe Gets Tased
Video Web Extra: Caroline Lowe Learns To Use Taser Camera
Minneapolis Police Department Taser Report
Story: Mpls. Police Use Tasers Equipped With Cameras
18th Anniversary Of Jacob Wetterling's Abduction
Eighteen years ago today, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was
abducted at gunpoint close to his home in rural St. Joseph, Minn. Jacob
and his 10-year-old brother, Trevor, and a friend were biking home from
a convenience store where they rented a video. The masked gunman
confronted the boys and walked away with Jacob. He hasn't been seen
since.
Jacob's crime touched a whole generation of kids who grew
up during this time. As a parent, it was impossible not to be affected
by the fear that something similar could happen to your child, just out
for a bike ride on a Sunday night. It mobilized Jacob's mom, Patty, to
work to raise national awareness about sexual violence and child abuse.
Just months after the abduction, Patty and Jerry Wetterling created the
non-profit Jacob Wetterling Foundation to carry out the mission to
educate families and communities on ways to keep children safe.
While
they wait for answers for what happened to Jacob, the Wetterling family
continues its efforts to educate the community about keeping kids safe.
They also reach out to help other families who face a similar ordeal.
Earlier this year, Jacob's three siblings, Trevor, Amy and Carmen,
helped put together a book for other siblings of missing children. The
siblings survival guide was released in Washington, D.C. in May.
Several months later, Patty Wetterling was hired to work full-time for
the Minnesota Department of Health as a sexual violence educator. Also
this year, an enhanced photo of what Jacob may look like today was
released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
I
spoke with Patty Wetterling this morning about Jacob. She planned to
bake cookies for the Stearns County investigators who continue to work
on Jacob's case. She hopes the community will turn on a porch light or
light a candle today in honor of Jacob. Besides honoring Jacob, the
Jacob Wetterling Foundation says the lights are for all missing
children to "help light their way home."
Patty told me she also
hopes the anniversary of Jacob's abduction will prompt someone to come
forward and tell investigators anything they might know about what
happened to Jacob and who abducted him on an evening in October
eighteen years ago. The Stearns County Sheriff Department is at
320-251-4240.
LINKS: Cold Case: Jacob Wetterling
Jacob Wetterling Foundation | Press Release