After botched raid, officers honored, family outraged

MINNEAPOLIS – Eight police officers who raided an innocent family’s house last year, trading fire with the terrified husband, have received medals – and that has outraged the family.

Three officers involved in the Dec. 16 raid, which stemmed from bad information from an informant, received medals of valor from Police Chief Tim Dolan on Monday. The other five got medals of commendation.

Yee Moua said her family is “a mess right now,” and her 9-year-old son, who saw the shooting, “still has nightmares and has needed therapy.”

Police entered the home expecting to find a violent gang member. Yee Moua’s husband, Vang Khang, thought they were being robbed and shot at the officers through a bedroom door.

The officers returned fire.

The house was left filled with bullet holes and broken glass. Two days later, Dolan apologized and started an internal investigation.

“They were outraged and they were hurt. … To this day this family continues to suffer,” said their lawyer, former U.S. attorney Tom Heffelfinger.

Heffelfinger said the family plans to file a lawsuit.

Dolan said in a statement: “The officers put themselves in harm’s way. They were shot at and shot and deserved to be recognized.”