What we know about Fresno’s mass shooting: How it happened, who the victims were

Note to readers: This story was updated on Dec. 31.

Police have announced arrests in connection with a mass shooting at a southeast Fresno house party Nov. 17. Here’s a look at what we know about the shooting:

What happened at the southeast Fresno home?

At 7:48 p.m. Nov. 17, gunmen armed with semi-automatic handguns opened fire on partygoers watching a Sunday night football game at 5361 E. Lamona Ave. The shooters entered the backyard through an unlocked gate. About 35 people were at the home when the gunfire broke out. The vicious attack left four dead and six wounded. The shooters then fled; it’s unknown whether they escaped in a vehicle.

It was so dark that witnesses could not describe the attackers; many only saw the muzzle flashes from the firearms.

Who are the shooting victims?

Four men are confirmed dead: Xy Lee, 23; Phia Vang, 31; Kou Xiong, 38, and Kalaxang Thao, 40.

Xiong lived at the home where the shooting occurred, according to the Fresno County Coroner’s Office. Six others, ranging in age from 28 to 36, were wounded.

Who is Xy Lee?

Xy Lee was a musician who was famous in the Hmong community. His music videos posted to YouTube have garnered millions of views, and his YouTube channel has more than 90,000 subscribers.

Some of his videos show him performing in a home studio where he sang and played a keyboard, including one from just one month ago.

What are police doing to catch the suspects?

Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall has established an Asian gang task force led by Deputy Chief Pat Farmer. The goal is to “solve (the case) and “prevent retaliation,” Farmer said. Special police units, including the MAGEC gang task force and detectives normally assigned to auto theft, are being assigned to the task force.

Candlelight vigils

Friends and family of the victims held a candlelight vigil Nov. 18 outside the house where the shooting took place. Among the mourners was Paul Yang, a community activist who said the vigils would continue for the next few nights. She also urged the Fresno Police Department to step up patrols in the area due to increased violence.

Hmong culture in Fresno

Fresno has the second-largest Hmong population in the United States, with more than 30,000 people. (The largest communities of Hmong are in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area of Minnesota.)

Hmong are also the largest southeast Asian ethnic group in Fresno, making up 4.9% of the population. Learn more about the Hmong community in Fresno in the video here:

This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 4:51 PM.