Toua Xiong's story

Toua Xiong was a 20-year-old Hmong man from Minneapolis’ North Side who was working as a Pizza Hut delivery driver in the summer of 2006. He was described by people who knew him as quiet, kind, polite, caring, and supportive, with a strong connection to his family and community. Toua was saving money to attend college and buy a car. He was considering attending the University of St. Thomas or Concordia University and was interested in studying finance and management. Because he was saving money, he used his sister’s car for pizza deliveries. He had a large Hmong family—six sisters and six brothers, along with many nieces and nephews—and was described as someone who deeply loved his parents and enjoyed helping others. A former teacher remembered him as a gentle, somewhat shy student who was always drawing pictures, asking quiet questions, and trying hard in school. On August 6, 2006, Toua made what would be his final pizza delivery in North Minneapolis. After completing the delivery, he was confronted by several men. He was shot in the back as he tried to run away. He was only 20 years old. His death deeply affected Minneapolis’ Hmong and Southeast Asian communities. A candlelight vigil was held in his memory, and community members and Pizza Hut franchises organized support for his family. The man who pleaded guilty to killing Toua, Jermaine Mack-Lynch, received a 30-year prison sentence in 2007, with at least 20 years to be served before parole eligibility.