You (beep) Asians keep coming to my land, I'm going to kick your (beep) Asian (beep). But Willers had radioed to his hunting party in a nearby cabin. Chai Soua Vang shoots eight people on a hunting trip in Wisconsin in a contested dispute on hunting land Vang trespassed on. Vang claimed that he was belittled and that hunters used anti-Hmong slurs against him after Willers and eventually other members of the hunting party confronted him for using a deer stand and being on the property. Willers said he was alone when he confronted Chai Vang. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Willers and Hesebeck indicated only one shot was fired at Vang by Hesebeck, who was already wounded while some of his friends lay mortally wounded on the ground. In Wisconsin and Minnesota a hunting license comes with a book that spells out regulations. Here are a few things to consider when using a deer stand on public land. Lauren Hesebeck, a surviving victim, stated "Bob had said I'm going to go talk to him to find out who he is, why he's there, and make sure he doesn't, you know, knows that he's on private property and that he's not welcomed there. Married with 3 children. But instead of heading east through the woods as directed, Vang followed a camp trail southward. Terry Willers said no one shot at Chai Soua Vang or physically assaulted him before Vang started firing at the group Nov. 21 in some isolated northwestern Wisconsin woods. Vang said, You not dead yet? and raised his rifle to shoot. He was full of himself with all his friends around, even though the other guy had a loaded rifle. Hayward, Wis. Terry Willers took the stand Monday, to give his version of events that left six dead and two wounded last fall. What triggered such cold, deadly rage? Thinking Jessica and Laski were likely armed and looking for him, Vang waited until they passed. HAYWARD, Wis. . As he fled, Crotteau called the cabin on his walky-talky to tell Laski to bring guns. Crime Profile: The Debra Evans Case. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. . All were relatives and friends who gathered to hunt from the Crotteaus cabin near Exeland. When he fired, the bullet struck Jessica in the left buttock, blew through her hip, and struck Laski, shattering his lower spine and abdomen. Vang was arrested when he returned to his cabin five hours after the shooting. An officer waiting for Vang placed him into custody and transported him to the Sawyer County Jail. Shots zipped past over Hesebecks head. Chai Soua Vang, a hunter and reported military sharpshooter from St. Paul, will die in prison for the murders. The trial of Chai Soua Vang began Saturday, September 10, 2005 at the Sawyer County Courthouse in Hayward. On the 21st of November, 2004, Chai Soua Vang, 36, went on a shooting spree that would end up killing 6 and severely injuring 2 more. Terry Willers of Rice Lake, a hunter who received a serious neck wound when Vang shot him, once told me: What happened sure changed a lot of peoples lives. by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio. Other companions of Willers arrived, and there was an angry verbal confrontation and threats to report Vang to game wardens for trespassing. Vang has owned a 1987 Nissan pickup, according to an online search service. After spotting an unoccupied treestand about 2 miles from his groups campsite on Nov. 21, 2004, Vang pulled on a camouflage facemask and climbed up. the stomach and died in the I understand your anger, your frustration, your grief, he said. He asked one hunter for directions, but without either a map or a compass, he continued to wander in confusion through the dense forest. Imagine what that would be like for the families to deal with, said Ray Simpson, a Rice Lake man who said he was hunting in the vicinity of the murders. Vang, a 36-year-old National Guard veteran who lives in St. Paul, Minn., told jurors that the violent confrontation happened after he inadvertently trespassed on private property in Rice Lake, Wis., and one of the hunters swore at him and used racial slurs. But as he passed, Crotteau and another hunter reached to Vang's ID tag, which hangs on the back of Wisconsin deer hunters. Vang, a six-year veteran of the California National Guard, shot eight people while he unintentionally trespassed upon a hunting group in northern Wisconsin on November 21 . They will always grieve, always wonder, always wish they could turn back the clock to that day and never have to live it. Only Willers and Hesebeck kept watching Vang, who was seething with humiliation while walking away. No shell casing was ever recovered from Willers' gun even though during the trial Hesebeck admitted to firing a single shot later during the incident when Vang, noticing that Hesebeck was still alive, fired at him again. Six were killed and two were left wounded. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help Retired newspaper reporter Ed Culhane still cant shake the senseless, ruthless, spontaneous violence detailed by state prosecutors during Vangs trial in September 2005. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. He basically single handedly won a firefight against 8 armed whites. Charles Manson and the Tate and LaBianca Murders. (AP Photo/Stormi Greener, Pool), Chai Soua Vang shows how he pointed his rifle as he testified at his murder trial Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005, in Hayward, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, Pool). Since getting his hunting license in 1990, he has regularly tracked game in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. He then heard a slight metallic sound from Vangs rifle, and realized Vang was out of bullets. Vang is believed to have fired about 20 rounds from a Saiga rifle chambered in 7.6239mm, which was recovered by police. Nobody really forgets.. Just imagine, just imagine if he had gotten out of the area; if they had never found him. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Tuesday, prosecutors intend to put more witnesses on the stand who were on the property the day of the shooting. "I asked what hunting party he was with, and he kind of mumbled something that I didn't understand," said Willers. My most interesting encounter was inside CP Dodge, home of the IA National Guard. Though the killings occurred about 50 miles southwest of the courthouse, residents here say the carnage has increased the already tense relations between locals in the predominantly white region and Hmong immigrants. His third shot flattened Hesebeck, who fell stunned and still. Cha Vang's death has reopened discussions about how to bridge the gap between Hmong and American cultures, particularly when it comes to hunting. Crotteau then suggested making a note of his hunting license number to make a report to the DNR and, according to Hesebeck's testimony, Crotteau "flipped over the hunting tag on Vang's back to get his license number". They occurred about 30 miles from Rice Lake. Vang addressed the victims families in court Tuesday but did not apologize. As he fled, Crotteau called the cabin on his walkie-talkie to tell Laski to bring guns. The other three victims were Mark Roidt, 28, and Dennis Drew, 55, of Rice Lake; and Jessica Willers, 27, of Green Bay. Vang, who lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota at the time of the shootings, is imprisoned at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, as of 2006. While on a hunting trip in northern Wisconsin, Vang shot eight people, who were also hunting in the area, on November 21, 2004. A handful of people from Twin Cities Hmong community were in the courtroom to show support for Vang. Shot once through A Hmong immigrant convicted of murdering six deer hunters and attempting to kill two others after a dispute over trespassing in northwestern Wisconsin was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday with no chance for parole. Three of the hunters were gunned down as they tried to protect themselves. Obituary. Chai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, looks back as people leave a Sawyer County courtroom for a recess in his murder trial Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2005, in Hayward, Wis. Vang was convicted on six charges . Joey Crotteau, 20, Robert's son Every time its brought up, people feel so bad.. Mike Bartz, a retired Wisconsin conservation warden, was the senior law enforcement officer at the crime scene that day. Clear Search Query Submit Search. need your help for this. Peery said he and most everyone else with the DNR recalls the shootings. Willers was shot in the neck, temporarily paralyzed. A prosecutor declined to comment on the charges. In both Wisconsin and Minnesota some people see Cha Vang's killing as part of the legacy of the case of Chai Soua Vang. Willers said he didn't hear any threats against Vang, although he couldn't understand all of what was being said. Allan Laski, 43, manager of a Five years ago, I spoke with family members of the victims, as well as one of the hunters wounded. I was squirrel hunting with an air rifle, my Beeman R9. They occurred about 30 miles from Rice Lake. A deer hunter shot and killed six other deer hunters including a young woman. Soua Vang. His life began on March 10, 1932 in the country of Laos. Without question, it was the most horrific trial I covered in my 25-year career. He didnt resist. When they arrived, Vang scoured the area until he saw a doe. When I shined my flashlight on the passenger, I saw he was wearing camouflage and he fit our suspects description, Peery said. He detailed for the jurors how the other hunters approached him, and how he responded by shooting at each one. "I could guess probably, approximately. 0. At the time, Wisconsin was one of 12 states in the United States that did not have the death penalty.[19]. Tou Ger Xiong is with a Saint Paul group, the Coalition for Community Relations, which held a weekend forum in Green Bay to discuss race relations and the recent killing. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Crotteau, his son Joey, and two friends then rode out on the Crotteaus UTV. If he didn't fight back, he most likely would have been murdered and disposed of discretely. There will never be answers for all this, said Rena Einum, a student services staff member at Rice Lake High School, where donated funds were used to present six annual scholarships each of the past 10 years in honor of the hunters. As described in David Whitehursts 2015 book, Tree Stand Murders, Vang raised his rifle in one smooth, continuous sweeping motion as he circled right, kneeled, and aimed at Willers, the groups only armed person. He pointed it again and fired once. It is believed that Vang and his friends began their day on public land, but he later went onto a private 400 acre (1.6km2) tract of land. Authorities say Nichols shot Cha Vang and stabbed him six times. I was thinking this was it. Even if he had more bullets, Vang knew he had to flee. Assuming Hesebeck was dead, Vang raced after Bob Crotteau, whose blaze-orange coat made him easy to see. [16][17], The criminal complaint states that Vang shot four of his attackers in the back, and Vang himself admits he shot one attacker in the back. Campbell says he attended the Saint Paul group's forum in Green Bay and he took a dim view of the event. Willers followed for about five minutes to ensure he left. It all started in 2019. Soua Yang, daughter of Yong Chue Yang and Chong Xyooj, passed away on August 23, 2022. [5][6], On Sunday, November 21, a hunting party of about 15 people were in a cabin on this private land. My takeaway was that two hotheads met in the woods, and one of them had a horrible reputation for being a loudmouth, Bartz said. in the Chai Soua Vang homicide trial in Hayward. Authorities say Nichols shot Cha Vang and stabbed him six times. The second didn't. However, he don't know that his action would become a complication to. Wisconsin does not have a death penalty. Vang instantly turned toward the men on their machines and shot Roidt, who hit the ground dead, as his ATV, still in gear, idled forward. CHAI VALE: Do you know you are trespassing 400 acres of land, you damn (beep). Vang sprinted to cut the corner to the trail to close the gap, and shot him in the lower back at about 65 yards. On the stand, Hesebeck admitted that Robert Crotteau had called Vang a "Hmong a--hole." That manChai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a certified sharpshooter and six-year National Guard veteranopened fire by first shooting the groups only armed hunter. The jury deliberated for three hours and 15 minutes before convicting Vang on all six counts of first-degree murder, and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Within several minutes, eight hunters were shot; six with fatal wounds. The statements of both Vang and Hesebeck state that Vang removed the scope from his rifle before firing his first shot. From there, Vangs parents brought their family to the U.S. Heather Drew Kretz holds up a picture of herself He said, Why the [expletive] were you in my sons stand, said Vang, who began yelling in the courtroom to mimic Crotteaus voice. Their conversation was polite and Vang apologized. [5][6][15], Vang fled the scene on foot and discarded his remaining ammunition, later stating that he did not want to shoot anyone else. Vang returned to retrieve his scope and leave. Willers could hear their voices, and recognized Bob Crotteau, who owned the property with Willers. There were six hunters, including Terry Willers, then confronting Vang. His second marriage ended after he nearly choked his wife to death for gambling away $3,000. "All came to Green Bay for one purpose," Campbell says, "and that was to sit down with Pa and explain what was going on and explain why things were moving at the particular pace that they are and what was going to come next and so on." By that time Vang was chasing Joey Crotteau, who fled down a trail. Soua Vang know the consequence of his action and he assume full. A Hmong immigrant convicted of murdering six deer hunters and attempting to kill two others after a trespassing dispute was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday with no chance for parole. And I said, 'On purpose?' A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. 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