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Fresno Police Arrest 6 Gang Members in Killings of 4 Hmong Men
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 5 years ago on
December 31, 2019

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UPDATE
Six suspects are in custody in the mass shooting that killed four Hmong residents on Nov. 17 and are being held in the Fresno County Jail.
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall announced the arrests in a news conference Tuesday morning.
The suspects are all self-admitted members of the Mongolian Boys Society gang, Hall said. Weapons used in the shooting were recovered through the investigation, as well, he said.
Hall said all of the suspects admitted during questioning that they targeted the gathering at a home in southeast Fresno because they believed rival gang members were present. He said at least one person attending the gathering had a prior affiliation with a rival gang, though was not active. Five others at the party left before officers arrived on the scene after the shooting.
“We have not identified them, so we don’t know if they played a role in this homicide or not,” Hall said.

Identities of the Suspects

The suspects are Billy Xiong, 25; Anthony Montes, 27; Porgue Kue, 26; Johnny Xiong, 25; Pao Vang, 30; and Jhovanny Delgado, 19.
Police also said that Sia Vang, whose street name is “Giant,” is a person of interest in the investigation.

These six men are in custody in connection with the Nov. 17, 2019 slayings of four Fresno men. (Fresno PD)

Crime Stoppers Tip Assisted Investigation

“A tip to Crime Stoppers served as a pointer in our investigation that led us to an interview with a person who had additional information on this case,” Hall said. “This led to further tips and the end result.”
A total of $56,000 in reward money has been offered through Crime Stoppers for information leading to the arrest of suspects in the case.
The four men who died in the mass shooting were 23-year-old Xy Lee, a Hmong singer; 31-year-old Phia Vang, 38-year-old Kou Xiong, and 40-year-old Kalaxang Thao. All of the men were from Fresno.
Six others were injured in the attack, which came as a crowd was watching a Sunday night football game on television at a residence in southeast Fresno.

Photo of Sia Vang
Sia “Giant” Vang is a person of interest in connection with the killings. (Fresno PD)

More Than $100,000 Raised to Pay for Funerals, Other Expenses

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand said at the Dec. 26 kickoff to the annual Hmong New Year’s celebration that local political leaders and community groups helped raise more than $100,000 toward the funerals for the victims and other costs.
Following the tragedy, Hall had said, “I’m heartbroken over this. More, I’m angry. I’m so mad that this occurred. The people behind me — they are not the Hmong community. They are Fresno. This is Fresno. They are our community. I will not rest until the suspects are caught and brought to justice. Then I will grieve. And I will grieve with them.”

Victims from the Nov. 17 Fresno shooting, from left to right: Phia Vang, Kalaxang Thao, Kou Xiong, Xy Lee. (GV Wire File)

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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