Wife of man fatally shot by Mpls. police downplays threatening behavior
Updated: Dec. 17, 11:18 a.m. | Posted: Dec. 16, 11:15 a.m.
The wife of the man shot and killed by Minneapolis police on Sunday says she didn't think he posed a threat to officers.
On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner formally identified the man as 52-year-old Chiasher Fong Vue.
Earlier in the week, his wife, Mai Pha Vue, told MPR News that she believed he did have a gun before the confrontation with police, but denied he'd fired it before police arrived.
Minneapolis police said they were called to the home on the 3100 block of Thomas Avenue North just after 3 a.m. on Sunday and that someone had reported shots fired in the residence.
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Police said officers shot a suspect after he came out of the home, in what the department called an armed confrontation. He died at North Memorial Health Hospital a short time later. His wife said she didn't believe he posed a threat to police and had surrendered. The family declined to offer any other details.
Minneapolis police said they couldn't comment on the shooting, which is under investigation by the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Minneapolis police spokesperson John Elder said officers were called to the area just after 3 a.m. on a report of a possible domestic assault. Police were told that weapons were involved, and that shots had been fired but no one was hurt.
"Some people were able to flee the residence, and as squads arrived, they met those individuals (and) got them to safety while other officers attempted contact with the suspect inside the residence," Elder said. "After an extensive phone call, the suspect agreed to come out. In fact, did come out. Shots were fired. Officers returned fire and hit the individual."
No one else was injured in the incident. Elder said "numerous" officers were at the scene, but police have not said how many fired their weapons.
Police had cordoned off several blocks surrounding the shooting site Sunday afternoon due to the BCA’s ongoing investigation.
Jimmie Jackson lives on the other side of the block from where the shooting took place. He said he and his wife were returning from a trip to Chicago early Sunday morning when they heard the gunfire from nearby.
"It was pop, pop, pop, pop, pop ... and then you heard a pause. Then it was another pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. So it was like they just, you know, killed a guy,” Jackson said. “I think this was a senseless killing."
Jackson said he's never had any issues with household where the shooting took place and didn’t know what could’ve led to the shooting.
Elder said Minneapolis police "will completely cooperate" with the BCA investigation.