THE WISCONSIN HUNTER SHOOTINGS

Six people dead because of regulations that prevented them from carrying guns

On the second day of the nine-day annual hunting season in Wisconsin, Vang, 36, got lost looking for deer. The former soldier and Laos immigrant carrying a loaded assault rifle stumbled on a tree stand which happened to be on private property. A tree stand is an aerial platform used by hunters to get a shot at passing deer from above. He climbed onto the stand - a move that sparked off a shocking chain of events. He was ordered off the stand by other hunters who appeared on the scene.....

According to Vang, 15 minutes after he climbed on to the tree stand, he was confronted by Mr Terry Willers. Mr Willers radioed others in his group and, soon, five more hunters confronted Vang. According to one of them - Ms Lauren Hesebeck, 48 - one hunter wrote Vang's deer license number in the dust on an all-terrain vehicle. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Vang and the hunters agree that Vang began walking away, but details of what happened next differ sharply...

In his statement to investigators, Vang said he believed Mr Willers was the only hunter in the initial group of six with a gun and that after he walked about 30m away, he turned and saw Mr Willers allegedly point his rifle and fire a single bullet that struck the ground 9m to 12m behind Vang. Vang said he removed the scope from his rifle and fired two shots at Mr Willers. He saw him fall to the ground. The authorities said Mr Willers suffered a gunshot wound to the neck.

The others ran towards their vehicles as Vang continued shooting. He said he saw two or three men drop to the ground.

Around this time, one of the hunters radioed for help. Vang said that when he saw three more hunters approach in their vehicles, he reversed his orange hunting jacket to camouflage and reloaded his magazine with five or six bullets.

Vang said he did not shoot at the arriving hunters because they were armed. The hunters left shortly, taking the wounded Mr Willers with them.

He added that when two more people approached him, he began to run and, as the vehicle passed him, he claimed he saw the driver allegedly remove a gun from his shoulder. Vang said he fired three or four times at the pair.

Four hours after the shootings, Vang was arrested as he emerged from the woods on Sunday with his empty SKS 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle.

Ms Hesebeck, who was released from hospital after treatment for a shoulder wound, told investigators that Mr Willers shot at Vang after Vang allegedly fired first but missed.

The US authorities said that there was only one firearm among the eight hunters and it was not clear whether anyone returned fire.

The Associated Press reported there have been previous clashes between South-east Asian and white hunters in the region.

White hunters have complained the Hmong do not understand the concept of private property and hunt wherever they want.

The tension once led to a fistfight in Minnesota, and a Hmong hunter in Wisconsin had reported having at least two white hunters point guns at him.

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Background

Throughout the United States, the number of Hmong gangs and the level of their criminal activity is increasing in severity. Their participation in criminal activity has evolved over time. During that evolution, they have become involved in a wide range of crimes, such as homicides, gang rapes, prostitution, home invasions, burglaries, auto thefts, and, most recently, the sale and distribution of illicit drugs.

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