Standoff Ends With Surrender Of Two Teens Pair Are Suspected Gang Members Wanted In Connection With Drive-By Shooting In California
Two teens wanted in connection with a California drive-by shooting surrendered to Spokane police Wednesday after a six-hour standoff.
Lue Xiong and Dao Moua, both 17, were holed up in a house at 2223 W. Dean until they peacefully surrendered at 7:30 p.m.
The suspected members of the Asian gang Men of Destruction are wanted on warrants charging them with violating parole and attempted murder in a Jan. 6 drive-by shooting near Merced, Calif.
A man was shot in the eye during that attack but survived, Spokane Police Chief Terry Mangan said Wednesday.
California authorities called Spokane police Tuesday to tell them the teens might be in the area.
“We believe they came up here to hide out,” Mangan said.
Undercover officers staked out the house on Tuesday and part of Wednesday to confirm the two were staying there.
Residents said officers began positioning themselves in the neighborhood as early as 10 a.m. Wednesday. Special Investigation Unit officers were seen in an apartment complex less than two blocks away, neighbors said.
“There have been police all over this neighborhood all day,” neighbor Kimberly Blackman said. “We haven’t seen this much action in a long time.”
The house is widely known for drug trafficking, said neighbors, who have seen more than a dozen people at the house at any given time.
Detectives obtained search warrants and police surrounded the two-story, blue house about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Three unidentified people came out of the house shortly after the standoff began. They were interviewed by police and released.
The two suspects and a girl remained inside, Mangan said.
The 16-year-old girl, who police suspect is the girlfriend of one of the teens, stayed in the home voluntarily.
Police then evacuated seven houses on West Dean and sealed off the area. The teens were believed to be heavily armed, with several pistols and possibly rifles or shotguns, Mangan said.
Children from nearby Holmes Elementary were held at school, then sent to the COPS West substation where parents could pick them up.
“You’ve got to come out. One of you, come to the door,” an officer yelled to the teens through a bullhorn about an hour into the standoff. “We’re not going away.”
At least a dozen SWAT team members with police dogs and highpowered rifles surrounded the house.
“Your only option is to come to the front door slowly and give yourselves up,” the officer barked through the bullhorn a few hours later. “You can’t get out the back either. So don’t try it.”
About 5:45 p.m., floodlights were brought in to illuminate the windows in the house.
At 6:30 p.m., a phone was placed in the house and negotiators began talking with the suspects, police said.
The girl left the house at 7:30 p.m. and then the suspects surrendered.
Police searched the home and found several guns.
The three were being held Wednesday night at the Spokane County Public Safety Building, awaiting possible proceedings for extradition to California.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo Map of area.