The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office and Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday that no charges will be filed against the St. Paul police officer who killed Yia Xiong last year.
Xiong, 65, was fatally shot by officer Abdirahmin Dahir on February 11, 2023. Police responded to the Winslow Commons apartment complex after receiving a call that a resident was threatening people with a knife.
When officers arrived, they asked Xiong to drop a knife as he attempted to enter his apartment. Xiong entered his apartment, which led officers to kick the door to stop it from closing. Officers ordered Xiong to come out and stepped back from the door. Xiong then stepped out into the hallway with a knife in his hand.
Dahir shot Xiong, and another officer Noushue Cha deployed his taser.
The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office and Minnesota Attorney General’s Office concluded that the deadly force Dahir used was legal under Minnesota law, according to a news release. The announcement follows an investigation that was conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and an independent review by use-of-force expert Jeffrey Noble. Noble has reviewed other cases in the Twin Cities where police officers used deadly force, including the cases of Jeronimo Yanez and Derek Chauvin.
The BCA presented its findings to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, which makes any charging decision in the case. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi asked Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to join the review as “an added measure of transparency and a commitment to a complete and impartial review of the evidence,” according to the news release.
Choi said in the statement that he was “deeply saddened” that the decision to not file criminal charges may cause pain to Xiong’s family and community members who wanted a different outcome.
“Anytime deadly force is used by the government, it is a tragedy for all those involved, and it requires prosecutors to seek the truth without bias, fear, or favor and do the right thing,” Choi said.
Snowdon Herr, founder of the Justice for Yia Xiong campaign, said he was devastated by the decision to not charge Dahir. He said waiting more than a year for the announcement made it even more difficult.
“Just imagine, you’re wasting your time and hoping for the best, hoping for justice for Yia Xiong.”
Herr said Xiong could not hear well and didn’t speak English, and he was unable to understand the officer’s commands.
Herr said Xiong’s killing has deepened mistrust between the Hmong community and the police, and that Hmong people don’t feel like the justice system is set up to help them.
“We don’t believe that there is such a thing as justice in this country,” Herr said.
