Saint Paul Man Charged After Alleged Rifle Threat
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A Saint Paul man is facing a felony assault charge after he allegedly pointed a rifle at his wife and threatened to kill her inside their home late Tuesday night.
Shoua Xiong, 46, is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from an incident reported around 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 23 at a residence in the 100 block of Front Avenue.
According to the criminal complaint, a woman called 911 to report that her husband had pointed a firearm at her and threatened to shoot her.
Officers arrived and spoke with Xiong’s wife outside the home. She told police the couple had returned earlier that evening from a Christmas celebration at a family member’s home and that Xiong was extremely intoxicated. After getting home, they realized one of their children had friends over without advance notice. She said Xiong became upset about the unannounced guests and went into a bedroom closet, where he retrieved a rifle.
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The complaint says she asked Xiong what he was doing and told him to put the rifle away, but he ignored her. Xiong inserted a magazine into the rifle, slung it over his shoulder and left the bedroom. He later encountered one of their sons downstairs. A short time later, the son returned to the bedroom with the firearm Xiong had been carrying.
The woman told police she removed the magazine from that rifle and hid it on her side of the bed, then placed the rifle under a dresser. When Xiong returned to the bedroom looking for the firearm, the two argued about its location. Xiong then retrieved a different rifle from the closet and placed it on the bed. She again removed the magazine. Xiong demanded it back, but she refused.
According to the complaint, Xiong then walked to the corner of the bedroom and inserted another magazine. His wife reported hearing what sounded like him chambering a round. She told police Xiong pointed the rifle at her and threatened to kill her. She grabbed her phone and called 911. Xiong eventually put the firearm into a black case on the bed. She also recorded video showing Xiong in possession of firearms inside the home.
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Police also spoke with one of the couple’s sons, who said he was in the basement when he heard what he described as a gun “racking” sound. He told officers he saw Xiong walk downstairs with an AR-style rifle slung over his shoulder. The son said he got into a physical altercation with his father and gained control of the rifle. He reported smelling alcohol on Xiong and believed he was intoxicated. The son removed the magazine and said it did not contain ammunition before giving the rifle to his mother.
A Hmong-speaking officer later spoke with Xiong by phone. Xiong told police the house had previously been shot at and said he became upset when he returned home and saw his son had friends over. He claimed he wanted the friends to leave and argued with his wife about it. When asked about the firearm, Xiong denied there was any issue involving a gun. He agreed to exit the home and was taken into custody. He declined to participate in a custodial interview.
Police executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered two rifles along with additional firearm-related items. A rifle cartridge was also found on the stairway leading to the second floor.
Xiong is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, a $14,000 fine or both.
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