3 suspects in RP killing arrested in Minnesota
SWAT team seizes Santa Rosa residents trying to flee friend's home, police say
Three remaining suspects in a suspected gang slaying last month in Rohnert Park were captured Friday in Minnesota, authorities said.
The May 25 shooting caused a furor over gang activity in local parks and resulted in the removal of the basketball hoops in Sunrise Park, where Rouen Klaot, 18, of Santa Rosa was killed.
Police quickly arrested a 15-year-old Santa Rosa boy but have been searching for three other suspects, all reputed members of the Asian Boyz gang.
On Friday, Martin Kong, 20, David Thach, 18, and Yai Phanchanh, 16 -- the alleged shooter -- were taken into custody by SWAT team members in Rochester, Minn., a city of 85,000 about 75 miles southeast of Minneapolis.
Rochester police were serving arrest warrants issued by Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong. Bail was set at $1 million each.
All three suspects are Santa Rosa residents.
Detectives believe the three had been in Minnesota for about two weeks, but it wasn't known how they got there.
Rohnert Park police said Klaot was playing basketball with friends at Sunrise Park when they were approached by Phanchanh, Kong and Thach.
Words were exchanged, a fight broke out and Klaot was shot once in the abdomen with a 9 mm handgun.
Rohnert Park Detective Bill Lawrence said Klaot and his friends may have had a previous affiliation with the Asian Boyz gang, which police say is the oldest of a small handful of Asian gangs operating in Sonoma County.
Within a few days, detectives believed they knew who was responsible but couldn't find the suspects. Several search warrants were served at the suspects' residences in Santa Rosa.
On June 1, Santa Rosa police arrested the 15-year-old suspect. He remains in custody at juvenile hall on murder charges and is due in court June 27 for a hearing to determine whether he should stand trial as an adult, Chief Deputy District Attorney Larry Scoufos said. Sonoma County authorities have refused to identify the 15-year-old.
On Wednesday, detectives served additional search warrants at Thach and Kong's residences and found information that suggested they may be at a friend's home in Minnesota, Lawrence said.
Rochester police, aided by the Southeast Minnesota Gang Strike Force, went to the home Friday afternoon, Rochester Police Lt. Terry Mays said.
SWAT team members stormed the house and captured Kong, Thach and Phanchanh trying to escape out a back window, Rohnert Park Sgt. Art Sweeney said.
He said police searched the home Friday and recovered clothes they believe the suspects were wearing at the time of the shooting.
Authorities haven't found the gun or the car that they believe the suspects used to flee.
The suspects are being held in the Ohmstead County Jail, pending extradition, Mays said.
Two Rohnert Park detectives were planning to fly to Minnesota to interview the suspects, who face charges that include murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
"It's a relief to have all of the suspects in custody," Lawrence said, "to know that we know where they are."
The slaying rattled the nerves of residents near Sunrise Park, some of whom said young people playing basketball, drinking and using drugs had made the park dangerous.
In the aftermath, the city removed the basketball hoops, trimmed trees and bushes to increase visibility and promised to increase police surveillance. The hoops are supposed to be replaced in a few weeks.
This week, the Rohnert Park City Council voted to ban alcohol in city parks as part of a campaign to fight gang violence. The prohibition will take effect next month.
SWAT team seizes Santa Rosa residents trying to flee friend's home, police say
Three remaining suspects in a suspected gang slaying last month in Rohnert Park were captured Friday in Minnesota, authorities said.
The May 25 shooting caused a furor over gang activity in local parks and resulted in the removal of the basketball hoops in Sunrise Park, where Rouen Klaot, 18, of Santa Rosa was killed.
Police quickly arrested a 15-year-old Santa Rosa boy but have been searching for three other suspects, all reputed members of the Asian Boyz gang.
On Friday, Martin Kong, 20, David Thach, 18, and Yai Phanchanh, 16 -- the alleged shooter -- were taken into custody by SWAT team members in Rochester, Minn., a city of 85,000 about 75 miles southeast of Minneapolis.
Rochester police were serving arrest warrants issued by Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Cerena Wong. Bail was set at $1 million each.
All three suspects are Santa Rosa residents.
Detectives believe the three had been in Minnesota for about two weeks, but it wasn't known how they got there.
Rohnert Park police said Klaot was playing basketball with friends at Sunrise Park when they were approached by Phanchanh, Kong and Thach.
Words were exchanged, a fight broke out and Klaot was shot once in the abdomen with a 9 mm handgun.
Rohnert Park Detective Bill Lawrence said Klaot and his friends may have had a previous affiliation with the Asian Boyz gang, which police say is the oldest of a small handful of Asian gangs operating in Sonoma County.
Within a few days, detectives believed they knew who was responsible but couldn't find the suspects. Several search warrants were served at the suspects' residences in Santa Rosa.
On June 1, Santa Rosa police arrested the 15-year-old suspect. He remains in custody at juvenile hall on murder charges and is due in court June 27 for a hearing to determine whether he should stand trial as an adult, Chief Deputy District Attorney Larry Scoufos said. Sonoma County authorities have refused to identify the 15-year-old.
On Wednesday, detectives served additional search warrants at Thach and Kong's residences and found information that suggested they may be at a friend's home in Minnesota, Lawrence said.
Rochester police, aided by the Southeast Minnesota Gang Strike Force, went to the home Friday afternoon, Rochester Police Lt. Terry Mays said.
SWAT team members stormed the house and captured Kong, Thach and Phanchanh trying to escape out a back window, Rohnert Park Sgt. Art Sweeney said.
He said police searched the home Friday and recovered clothes they believe the suspects were wearing at the time of the shooting.
Authorities haven't found the gun or the car that they believe the suspects used to flee.
The suspects are being held in the Ohmstead County Jail, pending extradition, Mays said.
Two Rohnert Park detectives were planning to fly to Minnesota to interview the suspects, who face charges that include murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
"It's a relief to have all of the suspects in custody," Lawrence said, "to know that we know where they are."
The slaying rattled the nerves of residents near Sunrise Park, some of whom said young people playing basketball, drinking and using drugs had made the park dangerous.
In the aftermath, the city removed the basketball hoops, trimmed trees and bushes to increase visibility and promised to increase police surveillance. The hoops are supposed to be replaced in a few weeks.
This week, the Rohnert Park City Council voted to ban alcohol in city parks as part of a campaign to fight gang violence. The prohibition will take effect next month.
