Man gets over 25 years for fatal shooting at children’s birthday party
Lue Chang (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)
A man was sentenced to 25.5 years(306 months) for shooting and killing 34-year-old Nichanon Kittikroekphon at a children’s birthday party in Brooklyn Park in September.
RELATED: Charges: Several children witness deadly shooting at birthday celebration
Lue Chang, 32, was given credit for 87 days already served. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in November.
As previously reported, Brooklyn Park police responded to a home on the 8400 block of Adair Avenue North on a report of a shooting. They found Kittikroekphon unconscious in the backyard with several gunshot wounds to his abdomen and back. He was brought to the hospital, where he later died.
Chang was also found being held down in the backyard — a firearm and a large number of live rounds were found on the ground.
A witness told police there had been a celebration going on for several children who were born in the family recently. He said he was socializing when he heard three gunshots.
He turned around and saw Chang shoot Kittikroekphon another time in the back.
Another witness told police that while he was restraining Chang, he asked why he had shot him. Chang reportedly responded, “Because he disrespected me.”
A third witness said he saw Chang walk up to Kittikroekphon and said, “Today you’re going to die” before shooting him.
Court documents note that at the time of the shooting, there was a toddler within a foot of Kittikroekphon and several children who were playing outside witnessed the shooting.