Ex-convict charged in shooting of 2 unarmed officers

FRESNO, Calif. – An ex-convict who allegedly opened fire and critically wounded two correctional officers inside the lobby of a central California jail has been charged with attempted murder.

The Fresno Bee reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2ciV8W0) that 37-year-old Thong Vang is also charged for being a felon in possession of a gun.

Authorities say Vang shot the unarmed officers Saturday when they approached him after he cut to the front of the visitors’ line. Both officers remain in critical condition.

The criminal complaint in Fresno County Superior Court also accuses Vang of having been convicted of five “strike priors” under the Three Strikes repeat-offender law.

He was released from prison in 2014 after serving 16 years for raping three girls.

Vang is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. If convicted, he faces 110 years to life in prison.

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Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com

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