Members of the Twin Cities Hmong community are demanding changes after the Ramsey County Attorney's Office declined to charge a St. Paul police officer who shot and killed a Hmong man in February of 2023.
65-year old Yia Xiong, who was holding a knife, was shot an killed outside of his senior living apartment building.
A use-of-force expert testified that officers' lives were in danger and deadly force was justified.
An interpreter read a statement from Xiong's daughter.
"It is painful that a veteran who once fought for the principal of what this country stands for, would fall victim to the very system meant to protect him.
Coalition member Kong Xiong says they'd like the police report of the incident released, and would like to talk with police.
"We need them to come and talk to us so that we can heal and build policies together, if they're really serious about making change in the community and building trust," says Xiong.
The Coalition is calling for the Ramsey County Attorney's Office to release the police report of the incident, and for the SPPD to review their cultural competency training practices," said the statement.
The family says the outcome could have been different had there been a Hmong-speaking officer on the scene. Xiong did not understand English and his family said he had mental health issues.
The video from two body worn cameras that captured the shooting show Xiong brandishing a 16-inch knife in the hallway of the building where law enforcement had followed him. When he did not drop the knife after repeated commands, officers shot him multiple times.