Coon Rapids cops under fire for police dog attack on elderly woman

The Coon Rapids police department is under pressure to investigate how an 81-year-old woman was bitten by a police dog while she was cleaning out a backyard shed.

Officers investigating the report of a burglar released the dog after they failed to get Choua Xiong to respond to shouted warnings. Xiong, who is Hmong, doesn't speak English.

There have been allegations that Xiong was mistreated by police even after the dog attack, but police say they have video that they'll release soon showing she was treated with respect by the officers.

Coon Rapids Police Chief Brad Wise said because of the scrutiny the case has received the department is looking into the incident to determine if there was any misconduct on the call. He also said there will be an internal review related to deployment of the police dog and use of force.

Xiong was in the hospital for a couple days, but is now recovering at home. Her attorney says she has injuries to her arms and legs and is shaken up from the experience.

Coon Rapids Police Chief Brad Wise said the situation is unfortunate, but defended his officers' response. He said they believed a burglary suspect was holed up in the shed where Xiong was found, and because she both turned off her flashlight and didn't respond to officer's calls, it made officers think she was the suspect.

Wise said he believes the police made a good decision with the information they had.

The K9 officer apologized to Xiong through a translator at the hospital shortly after the attack.

"Can you tell her that I am sorry about the incident?" the officer says in a recording played for a reporter by Wise. "We were acting in good faith, thinking it was a burglary and that there was somebody in the area that was breaking into sheds and garages. And I'm sorry that this incident did happen. Can you tell her that?"

Wise said he's called Xiong's grandson twice, but hasn't been able to speak to him. He says he'd like to apologize.

However, community leaders want a public apology.

Wa Houa Vue, the head of the leadership group Hmong 18 Council, called on the department and city to investigate the actions the police took during the incident.

Vue felt that the police response since the incident hasn't shown respect.

"We want changes. We do not want the skin color of the grandmother to decide how she would be treated," he said. "We want to extend our hands to the city of Coon Rapids and the Coon Rapids police department to build a relationship and make changes so that this does not happen again."

Vue also asked for cultural competency training for police.

The attorney for the family declined to get into detail about whether he believes the incident violated any department policy or law. He did not disclose whether legal action is forthcoming.