MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Two men have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a St. Paul sports bar owner that also left two other employees injured.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday at Malina’s Bar on 691 North Dale Street.
At about 2:15 a.m. that morning, 45-year-old Vone Moua was working at the bar with his wife. He approached two men who were playing pool and told them it was time to leave because the bar was closing. The charges state one of the men was 25-year-old Yia Her, who left the bar after arguing with Moua but then came back a short time later after the bar had closed.
According to the complaint, Her was with his 25-year-old brother-in-law Cheng Vang. A shoving match ensued between Her and Moua, who police say had earlier proposed a pool match with Her to see whether he would have to leave or would be allowed to continue playing pool for another few hours.
As Moua and some other bar employees were attempting to shove them out, Vang shot Moua and two other employees. One employee was shot in the torso. Another was grazed in the neck by a bullet, the charges state.
Her and Vang fled the scene in a small black car.
Moua died as a result of gunshot wounds sustained to his head.
When investigators caught up to the vehicle and questioned Her, they noticed a white shirt that appeared to have blood stains on it lying on top of a pile of clothing.
Her told police that he had paid $20 to rent the pool table for two hours, and the argument ensued after he tried to get his money back when the bar closed. His plan, police said, was to come back with Vang’s handgun to scare the owner into refunding the money.
Both Vang and Her are currently charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder. Her is currently in custody. There is an active warrant out on Vang.
