Press Release

Judge Sentences Shooter to 11 1/2 years for 2011 Muldoon Shooting

April 24, 2015

Today, 29 year old Lee Chee Chang of Anchorage was sentenced to spend 11 1/2 years in prison for a series of shootings he committed in 2011. Judge Michael Wolverton sentenced Chang to an additional 11 1/2 years of suspended prison time and placed Chang on probation for three years. Chang's sentence resulted from his role in the shooting at JJ's Cocktail Lounge on Muldoon Avenue in October 2011 that left two people dead and two others wounded.

Chang originally faced charges of murder in the first degree for the death of Emilio Ramirez as well as charges of attempted murder in the first degree and assault in the first degree involving two other victims. Chang was also charged with tampering with physical evidence.

Chang was tried along with his cousin, Vang Chang, and Ryan Laulu. Following a seven week trial, an Anchorage jury found Chang guilty of attempted murder and assault in the first degree but acquitted Chang of tampering with physical evidence. The jury was unable to reach a decision on the murder charge. Laulu and Vang Chang's cases were resolved in April 2014.

In November 2014, Lee Chang entered into a plea agreement with the State that allowed him to plead guilty to manslaughter in lieu of the murder charge. The plea agreement allowed for Judge Wolverton to sentence Chang to spend up to 99 years in prison.

At the sentencing hearing, Chang's parents addressed Judge Wolverton. They described their anguish about the death of two of their other children, including Ka Meng Chang, who was killed in the October 2011 shooting.

Lee Chang also made statements. He apologized to Emilio Ramirez' family as well as his own family and friends, many of whom were in attendance wearing t-shirts in memory of Ka Meng Chang.

Judge Wolverton explained that the community of Anchorage has had enough of gun violence and said that "nothing good was going to happen in that parking lot." He said that a significant sentence was necessary to reaffirm societal norms and to provide community condemnation.

CONTACT: Assistant District Attorney Clint Campion @ (907) 269-6300 or clinton.campion@alaska.gov at the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.