Dec 13, 2008 9:42 am US/Central
I-TEAM: Settlement Reached In Raid On Wrong House
(WCCO)
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No one was injured the night of the mistaken raid on the Khang household, despite an exchange of gunfire. (File)
Khang Family
The city of Minneapolis will pay $800,000 as part of a settlement with an innocent family whose house was raided a year ago by police given wrong information.
The city council approved about $600,000 in payment to the Vang Khang family, who were sleeping with their six children when the house was raided. Most of the rest of the settlement will cover the costs of the city covering the remaining house payments on the house on Logan Avenue north.
The mother, Yee Moua, called 911 when she heard intruders breaking into her house the week before Christmas last year. Her husband, Vang Khang, picked up his shotgun to defend his family.
It turned out, the "intruders" were not criminals but members of the Minneapolis Police Department SWAT sent their by another unit, based on bad information. They were looking for guns belonging to a street gang. Khang and the officers exchanged gunfire. Three officers were hit during the shootings but their body armor protected them from being hurt.
Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffefinger represented the family.
"This warrant was the result of a flawed investigation done by the Minneapolis Police Violent Offender Task Force," he said. "Shots missed Yee and Vang by less than a foot."
MPD Police Chief Tim Dolan apologized to the Khang family for the mistaken raid and also gave medals of bravery to several SWAT team officers. Mayor R.T. Rybak was on-hand for the medal ceremony but later issued a statement saying they sent the wrong message.
No action has been taken against any investigators in the VOTF. At the request of the Chief's office, an outside agency is investigating VOTF's role in the case that began with information from an informant.
It turns out the informant, Morgan Ashley Young, used a fake name when she came forward to police.
She is still wanted for a felony prostitution warrant in Dodge County that was issued before the raid in Minneapolis on December 16, 2007.
Traumatic memories, and advice from a doctor, forced the family to move out of their dream house.
"Our kids are afraid of the police," said Yee Moua.
Almost a year after the raid, painful images and fear remain. Moua said, "There are no excuse for what they [have] done to my family, there is no amount of money or anything that can fix what the police put us through."
Moua and her husband say the settlement with the city also means Minneapolis police will take several steps to improve relations with the Hmong community and get better understanding of their culture.
Several community leaders met with the media after the settlement. The steps include appointing a liaison between police and the Hmong community and cultural training for officers.
Chief Dolan told WCCO's Caroline Lowe that his heart goes out to the family and hopes they decide to buy another house in the city.
"Chief Dolan met with the Vang family, and the police department recognizes that this was an unfortunate incident. At this point, we're pleased to have this behind us and we look forward to building a stronger relationship with the Hmong community going forward. We wish the family well as they also move forward," said Mayor R.T. Rybak's office in a statement.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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