On a day that should have been filled with joy and celebration, a gathering to welcome new life into the family turned into a scene of tragedy and loss. Nichanon Kittikroekphon, a 34-year-old Asian man also known by his stage name Tswb Moua, was fatally shot on September 21, 2024, during a family party in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The event, attended by about 30 people, was being held to celebrate the birth of children in the family.
The festive atmosphere was shattered when a verbal
exchange occurred between Kittikroekphon and his 32-year-old cousin, Lue Chang. Witnesses reported hearing Chang tell Kittikroekphon, 'Today you're going to die,' before he drew a handgun and opened fire at close range. Kittikroekphon was struck by multiple bullets in his abdomen and back. As he tried to crawl away, he was shot again. The shooting unfolded in the backyard of the residence, with a young child standing just a foot away from the victim.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, several family members bravely intervened, tackling Chang and holding him down until police arrived. When asked by one of the individuals who subdued him why he had shot his cousin, Chang reportedly replied, 'Because he disrespected me.' Police arrived at the chaotic scene to find Kittikroekphon with severe injuries; he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Lue Chang was arrested at the scene and has since been charged with second-degree murder. Investigators recovered a firearm at the residence. Nichanon Kittikroekphon was remembered as a rising singer from Thailand and an expectant father, whose wife was due to give birth to their child.
