2 charged with attempted 1st-degree murder in stabbing at New Hope park

Two people are facing attempted murder charges in connection to a stabbing last week at a New Hope park.

Prosecutors on Wednesday charged 18-year-old Kristy Marie Hanson, from Plymouth, and 20-year-old Chong Vang, from St. Paul, with attempted first-degree murder.

Those charges stem from an incident at Civic Center Park last week.

RELATED: Police: 2 arrested in connection to stabbing at New Hope park

According to New Hope police, a fight between two males broke out at the park just before 5:30 p.m. on July 26. One of the males attacked the other with an “edged weapon” and then ran away, leaving the victim hospitalized.

The charging documents filed Wednesday state that the victim had 10 cuts and puncture wounds, including to his neck, chest and arms, and he suffered two punctured lungs, an injured left external carotid artery and a severed tendon in his right hand.

Witnesses said they saw Vang on top of the victim and Vang was saying the victim was a rapist before he ran off.

Officers reviewed surveillance video and saw Vang had been walking through a Hy-Vee like he was searching for something or someone. While the victim bought a soda, a criminal complaint states that Hanson took a picture of him.

As the victim walked to the park and sat down in the pavilion, Vang came up and appeared to make small talk with him. A short time later, Vang stood up, shook the victim’s hand, hugged him and then started stabbing him, the complaint states.

Police tracked Hanson to a home in New Hope and arrested both her and Vang.

Vang later told police he’d been dating Hanson for around 10 months and, during that time, Hanson told him she’d been sexually assaulted by at least five men, court documents state. Vang got their names from her and pledged that he’d get “injustice” for her and kill them if he found them.

He also allegedly admitted to going to the Hy-Vee that day to find one of Hanson’s alleged rapists and tracked the victim to the park after Hanson called him, the complaint states. He then admitted to stabbing the victim in an effort to kill him because he believed the victim was intentionally following Hanson.

Hanson added that she and Vang had discussed that they couldn’t be seen together so she went to a car, drove to the park and picked Vang up after he allegedly stabbed the victim, according to the complaint. She then helped clean the blood off Vang and bought him new clothes before returning home.

In Hanson’s journal, police found an entry that said, “On Wed July 26 (sic) Justice was served.”

They’re each set to appear in court for the first time on Thursday afternoon.