Photo: top row, l-r : Billy Xiong, Anthony Montes, Porge Kue; bottom row, l-r: Johnny Xiong, Pap Vang, Jhovanny Delgado
On November 17, 2019, four men were killed at a football watching party, six others were left injured. Kou Xiong, 38, frequently invited friends over on Sundays to watch football at his home on 5361 East Lamona Avenue in Fresno, a predominantly Hmong neighborhood.
Ger Le
By the evening, the women and children had gone inside, leaving the men outside to watch the night game. At 7:48PM, two men entered through the unlocked backyard gate and shot at the unsuspecting crowd of 16 men. Killed were Xy Lee, 23, Phia Vang, 31, Kou Xiong, 38, and Kalaxang Thao, 40.
Although Fresno Police reported the shooting had no ties to gangs, this prompted the formation of an Asian Gang Task Force. It would later be revealed one party goer, out of about 40 guests, had past connections with the Asian Crips, a rival of the Mongolian Boys Society.
The mass homicide is believed retaliation for a shooting that happened hours before which killed 28-year old Randy Xiong, 28, the brother of a Mongolian Boys Society member.
On December 17, 2019, a person of interest in the shooting, 25-year old Billy Xiong was arrested for mail theft. In this car was found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun which had been altered to operate fully automatic.
Along with the gun were two 30-round magazines. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) confirmed the gun was used in the mass shooting.
On December 26, 2019, 18 search warrants were served in Fresno, one in Visalia. Police confiscated $46,000 in cash believed connected with drug activity. Out of the 13 firearms recovered, one 40-caliber, stolen out of Oklahoma, semi-automatic pistol, was confirmed used during the shooting. Two cars connected to the shooting were discovered, as well as other significant evidence.
Six self-admitted Mongolian Boys Society members were arrested, including Billy Xiong: Anthony Montes, 27; Johnny Xiong, 25; Porge Kue, 26; Pao Vang, 30; and Jhovanny Delgado, 19. A seventh suspect Ger Lee, 27, was arrested in Minnesota on December 31, 2019, and awaits extradition. He is a high-ranking member of the Fresno gang and believed by prosecutors to have organized the attack.
According to the 17-page complaint authored by Fresno Police Officer and member of the FBI’s Safe Street Taskforce, Cory Hastings, Lee assigned Billy Xiong as diver; Vang, Delgado, and Johnny Xiong as lookouts; and Montes and Kue as shooters.
Johnny Xiong, Vang, and Delgado, the alleged lookouts are being charged in federal court for conspiracy to commit murder in the aid of racketeering.
Montes, Kue, and, Billy Xiong are being charged in state court with four counts of murder and 12 counts of attempted murder. If convicted of these charges, which carry special circumstances of committing multiple murders and killing for the benefit of a street gang, the men could be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Montes, Kue, and Billy Xiong pled not guilty during Friday’s arraignment. They remain at the Fresno County Jail with bail set at $23.7 million each. Lee will also be arraigned in state court for murder. Police are searching for one more person of interest: 23-year old Sia Vang, a.k.a. Giant.
As far motive for picking this home for retaliation, the criminal complaint states the MBS gang leaders picked it because they had seen alleged rival gang members or affiliates there, but they didn’t know specifically who would be there that night.
Johnny Xiong told investigators the victims didn’t need to be gang members. He confirmed he didn’t know who the affiliate of their rival gang was but knew it was not one of the victims. Another suspects stated it didn’t matter if they stuck their intended target or not, they just wanted revenge.
Photos from Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
