A suspect who was wanted on several felony warrants was shot and killed by law enforcement in north Minneapolis on Thursday following an hours-long standoff.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was quick to clarify following the incident that Minneapolis officers were not involved with the use of force during the incident but had been present on the periphery as the incident developed on the 3700 block of Dupont Avenue North. O’Hara indicated in his statement that agents with the FBI had been present and were involved in the shooting.
The FBI released a brief statement on social media stating that they were reviewing an agent-involved shooting that occurred at the location at approximately noon. They said SWAT operators with the FBI were executing an arrest warrant and the subject had barricaded himself in the house for hours. The FBI said the subject was armed when he exited the house and was fatally wounded. Another person with the subject required unspecified medical assistance and was transported to the hospital, they said.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) also released a statement following the incident which said that FBI agents were at the address executing a “high-risk” warrant with the assistance of county and local law enforcement partners. HCSO said the incident began around 6 a.m. They also stated that during the incident, the male subject was livestreaming on social media and displaying firearms. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt stated during a brief press conference that HCSO deputies had been involved in the use of force.
The suspect who was shot and killed has since been identified as Chue Feng Yang, 33.
Yang was livestreaming on Facebook during the standoff and captured parts of an apparent phone conversation with a negotiator. Yang could also be seen and heard in the livestream videos conversing with a female inside the residence with him. The woman could be visually identified as Yang’s girlfriend, Raylean Chastity Gurneau, 26, who was also wanted on felony warrants at the time of the incident.
Both Yang and Gurneau were suspects in a January pursuit involving Ramsey County law enforcement during which the suspects threw a puppy out the window while fleeing from police. Yang and another male co-defendant, Donovan Goodman, were suspected of separate carjackings after crashing in the suspect vehicle during the Jan. 30 pursuit. Gurneau had been charged earlier in April with several felonies in relation to the incident, including animal cruelty for allegedly throwing the puppy out the window and was wanted on a warrant in that case as well as a separate auto-theft case.
During the standoff Thursday, Yang set down the camera he was using to livestream just prior to the end of the standoff and the shooting. The video showed Yang had apparently tied himself and Gurneau together at the waist in preparation for exiting the house.
The video showed Yang holding what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun and Gurneau holding what appeared to be a handgun before the door was opened and the two exited while strapped together at the waist.
As the two exited the residence, audio from the video captured the sound of apparent law enforcement agents out of view shouting commands for the pair to show their hands, and then the sound of three or four shots were heard. Officers could then be heard saying, “shots fired, shots fired.”
FINAL MOMENTS of the stand-off with audio. Shows Chue Yang exiting the house allegedly with Raylean Gurneau tied to his waist. A handgun is visible as well as what may be a sawed-off shotgun.
The door opens and police commands to show hands are heard before the sound of shots. pic.twitter.com/3Yttk2px3l— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) April 28, 2023
Court records show Yang was wanted on several warrants at the time of his death, including two for auto theft. Media reported late Thursday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office released information related to a warrant issued for Yang which was seeking evidence to tie him to an assault on a federal officer or felon in possession of a firearm.
Alpha News will continue to follow developments in this story as more information becomes available.
– – –
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
