The suspect in a triple homicide that claimed the lives of three people of colour was found mentally incompetent to stand trial today, and was transferred to a mental health facility pending treatment.
Last month, Dan Popp was arrested after he allegedly shot to death his neighbour Jesus Manso-Perez and wounding Manso-Perez’s son, before allegedly breaking into the home of Phia and Mai Vue — both Hmong American — and killing them in front of their horrified children and babysitter. Popp reportedly remarked on Manso-Perez’s ethnicity — he was Puerto Rican — saying that “you guys got to go” before Popp embarked on the unprovoked shooting spree.
Fox6 reports today that a psychiatrist examined Popp after his arrest, and testified that Popp is not mentally competent enough to stand trial. However, the psychiatrist also said that Popp could become well enough to face criminal charges with medication. The judge in Popp’s case ordered Popp transferred to a mental health facility to undergo treatment.
Family members of the Vues were upset by the announcement. Reports Fox6:
“We reject the state’s psychiatric evaluation saying that Dan Popp is incompetent. We will be pursuing an individual evaluation. We will fight for justice that the victims deserve. Lives were taken because of Dan Popp’s hatred of those different from him,” Tou Xiong said.
The victim’s families are requesting that state and federal attorneys add hate crime charges to the case against Popp. 18MillionRising has also launched a petition to collect signatures demanding hate crime charges against Popp — you can sign that petition here.
You can also continue to support the GoFundMe campaigns for the families of Jesus Manso-Perez and the Vues. Funeral ceremonies for the Vues are scheduled for later this month and community members are invited to pay their respects.
