On a tragic day in Roseville, Minnesota, 32-year-old Asian male Fong Vang was killed on September 23, 2023, in what authorities have described as a double murder-suicide among a group of longtime friends. The incident, which unfolded inside a Roseville apartment, also resulted in the death of John Thao, 32, and the perpetrator, Meng Vang, who took his own life.
A fourth friend, Nou Xiong, was critically injured but survived the attack.
The group of men were high school friends who had gathered at Meng Vang's apartment on Eldridge Avenue. In what has been described as an "unprovoked attack," Meng Vang suddenly turned violent, using a knife to assault his friends. Xiong, despite suffering a life-threatening wound to his throat, managed to escape to another room and call for help, which ultimately led to a 911 call from his girlfriend.
When Roseville police officers arrived at the scene for a welfare check, they discovered the horrific outcome of the gathering. Fong Vang's death was ruled a homicide caused by both sharp force and a gunshot wound. John Thao was fatally stabbed, and his death was also ruled a homicide. Meng Vang died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his death was ruled a suicide.
The motive behind the violent outburst remains unclear, with family members of all involved expressing shock and devastation. Investigators have suggested that hallucinogenic drugs may have been a contributing factor to the tragedy, as psychedelic mushrooms were reportedly found at the scene, and a third party indicated the men had been consuming them. There were no prior police calls to the residence, and no documented police contacts with Meng Vang, leaving a community to grapple with the sudden and heartbreaking loss of three of its members.
