A 19-year-old Saint Paul man is facing felony charges after he allegedly pistol-whipped a watch reseller and pointed a second handgun at a woman during a private sale gone violently wrong at a North Minneapolis park. Kayden Koom Siab Yang is accused of stealing two guns, two watches, and two phones during the June 16 robbery at Farview Park, then fleeing on foot before he was identified through a photo lineup weeks later.
According to MN Crime, the victim, who resells brand-name watches, had arranged a private sale with an individual and met the buyer along with a woman at the park that evening. Police responded to a robbery call at Farview Park at about 9:10 p.m. that night, per the outlet's account of the incident.
Court documents cited by the publication describe a chaotic struggle once the meeting turned violent. Yang allegedly pulled out a handgun described as having a Glock silver slide and black lower half, prompting the victim to drop his own weapon before Yang grabbed both handguns and a watch. The victim reportedly wrestled the first handgun away from Yang, but the outlet's report states Yang then pulled out a second all-black handgun and pointed it first at the victim, then at the woman.
A Violent Struggle Ends in a Head Wound
The confrontation escalated further when Yang allegedly struck the watch reseller in the back of the head with a pistol, leaving him bleeding from the wound, MN Crime's report notes. The victim also tackled Yang during the altercation before Yang fled the scene, according to the same account. Victims later reported that two watches valued at $1,200, an iPhone Pro Max 14, and an iPhone 13 had been stolen during the robbery.
Investigators were able to identify a suspect thanks to the woman who was present during the sale. The outlet's report states she recognized Yang from a party they had both attended and told police she had previously rejected his advances. She had also attended school with him. The woman gave police his name, and on July 9, she identified Yang from a photo lineup with 100 percent certainty, according to the dossier's booking-related sourcing on Facebook.
Arrest Came Nearly Two Months Later
Yang was not taken into custody until August 11, when the Minneapolis Park Police Department arrested him at 12:41 p.m. and booked him into the Hennepin County Jail's City Hall housing facility under Booking ID 2026017067, according to public booking records shared on Facebook. The Minneapolis Park Police Department serves as the law enforcement arm of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, with officers holding citywide policing authority across the system's 185 park properties alongside the Minneapolis Police Department.
Hennepin County prosecutors filed charges on August 13 for first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Under Minnesota Statute § 609.245, first-degree aggravated robbery carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $35,000. The second-degree assault charge, under Minnesota Statute § 609.222, carries up to 7 years and a $14,000 fine, rising to 10 years and $20,000 if substantial bodily harm was inflicted, according to the Nickell Law Firm. A court date has not yet been set.
Farview Park's History and a Growing Marketplace Danger
Farview Park is a nearly 21-acre green space established in 1883 at 621 29th Avenue North in the Hawthorne neighborhood, known for its recreation center and sweeping views of downtown from its steep terrain, per the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The park is currently undergoing Phase 2 capital improvements to its playground, pathways, and other infrastructure, funded through the city's 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan.
The robbery adds to a growing list of violent incidents tied to private online sales across the Twin Cities. In November 2025, an 18-year-old seller was shot in the arm during a marketplace transaction in Edina, leading to the arrest of two teenagers, as reported by CBS Minnesota. Hoodline previously reported on a fake-delivery robbery spree in which an 18-year-old was charged for luring victims to vulnerable outdoor locations before robbing them at gunpoint.
In response to the pattern, some Twin Cities municipalities have begun promoting safer alternatives to public parks and parking lots. The City of Plymouth announced designated Safe Exchange Zones at municipal centers with 24-hour video surveillance in July, encouraging buyers and sellers to complete transactions in monitored locations rather than secluded outdoor spots. Unlike those designated zones, Farview Park offers no such surveillance, leaving sellers like the Farview Park victim exposed during in-person deals arranged online.
