Protestors demanding police be held accountable for the fatal shooting of Yia Xiong march down the steps at St. Paul city hall after submitting demands to the mayor's office. (Elijah Todd-Walden/BLCK Press)
Over 30 people crowded into St. Paul City Hall Friday afternoon to demand justice for Yia Xiong, who was shot by St. Paul police on Feb. 11.
Xiong, according to his family, was hard of hearing and did not speak English. Police fatally shot him after receiving a call that a resident of the Winslow Commons Apartments was threatening people with a knife.
“We are here to seek Justice for Yia Xiong, who died in the hands of St. Paul Police officers,” a protestor with the Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition said. “Mr. Mayor, today is a beautiful day to start taking action on police brutality.”
Protestors submitted their demands to Police Chief Axel Henry and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter Tuesday, including the release of all body camera footage and 911 call transcripts, the names of all officers who arrived at the scene, the firing and prosecution of the two officers who shot Xiong, and an independent investigation into the shooting.
The Mayor’s office responded to those demands Friday morning, saying that the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation is already underway, and that once witness statements were collected and family members were able to see the body cam footage it would be released to the public. The two officers who shot Xiong are currently on administrative leave.
Members of the Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition are meeting with Chief Henry and Mayor Carter Tuesday, Mar. 7, at 4 p.m.
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