Correctional Officer IV Toamalama Scanlan
Officer: Fresno County Sheriff's Office, Correctional Officer IV Toamalama Scanlan
Date: 10/12/2021 Location: Fresno, CA FACTORS (1,2,3,9,15,21)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Thong Vang
Criminal Activity History/Involved: “This will be Vang's second stint in prison. He was released in 2014 after serving 16 years on a rape conviction.” /Yes, as a convicted felon, Vang was in criminal possession of a weapon.
Mental Illness: Vang was in an altered mental state at the time of the incident due to the illegal substances he ingested.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Vang abused methamphetamine. /Yes, “when Vang entered the jail lobby that day, the accused shooter was in a psychotic state induced by meth.”
Race/Sex/Age: Asian/Male/37
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? While working in the lobby of Fresno County’s main jail on September 3rd, 2016, Correctional Officers Toamalama Scanlan and Juanita Davila observed a man, Thong Vang attempt to “barge his way to the front of the visitation line.” The officers went over to stop Vang and have him wait his turn.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Observing the officers were unarmed and not wearing vest, Vang accessed a concealed gun and shot them both in the head. Both officers were seriously injured and five years later Officer Scanlan died from his wounds.
Reactions by the police: Other officers in the lobby were able to subdue Vang and take him into custody when he dropped the weapon and surrendered after shooting the two officers.
How murdered? Officer Scanlan was shot at close range when attempting to intervene with a subject causing a disturbance in a jail lobby.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? The officers should have been armed and had visitors been forced to walk through a metal detector immediately upon entering the jail the officers might have been alerted to Vang’s concealed weapon.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? While they were certainly justified, the officers were only armed with tasers and were a step-behind as all officers are when reacting to a subject’s furtive movements.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Vang was arrested on the spot, convicted for the attempted murder of both officers and sentenced to 112 years in prison.
Miscellaneous: Vang was an illegal alien who had been slated for removal after completing his 16-year prison sentence, but who was freed because Laos refused to accept him back from American immigration officials trying to deport him.
