A Minneapolis, Minn., man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly attacking a female staff member with an ax at his senior living apartment building Thursday after being told his lease would not be renewed.
Crime Watch Minneapolis reported just after 4 p.m. Thursday that responders had been dispatched to an apartment building on the 4400 block of Snelling Avenue in south Minneapolis on a report of a male trying to attack staff with an ax, and that one female was reported to be injured, based on police scanner audio.
Police arrived and indicated that the suspect was in custody and also requested the dispatcher to send medical responders “Code 3,” which indicates an urgent response was needed.
Ying Vang, Jr., 59, has now been charged with felony counts of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault involving great bodily harm.
The criminal complaint filed Friday in Hennepin County District Court states that the victim, who is the building’s property manager, had notified Vang that his lease at the affordable 55+ senior living building would not be renewed (no details were provided in the complaint about the reasons for non-renewal). The staff member returned to the office and Vang returned to his unit.
Vang then returned to the office with a sledgehammer and an ax and proceeded to break down the locked office door with the sledgehammer. He then entered the victim’s office, pushed her up against a wall, and struck her in the face and neck with a blow from the ax.
Residents of the apartment then pulled Vang out of the office and held him down until police could arrive. Parts of Vang’s actions were captured on surveillance video, the complaint says.
The victim was hospitalized and received 8 to 10 stitches on a wound that covered the right side of her face, starting just below her eye and traveling all the way down to the bottom of her neck. The victim also reported being told by medical staff that an artery in her neck was cut by the ax as well, according to the complaint.
Vang is being held in Hennepin County Jail on $750,000 bail and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
A search of Minnesota court records reveals no prior criminal convictions or mental health actions against Vang.
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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.
