![Kia Xiong, the father of two-year old shooting victim Neegnco Xiong, is comforted by Rev. Harding Smith of the Spiritual Church of God, left, and peace activist K.G. Wilson, right, as Xiong fought back tears while remembering his son during a vigil near the family's Cedar-Riverside area residence Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, in Minneapolis, MN.] (DAVID JOLES/STARTRIBUNE) djoles@startribune.com) A vigil was held for two-year old shooting victim Neegnco Xiong near the family's Cedar-Riverside area resi](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/H2TK7EJV4QRNVJ5UAE4OPSVUJA.jpg?&w=1080)
A May trial date has been set for a Minneapolis man whose 4-year-old son accidentally shot and killed his younger brother while playing with a loaded handgun stashed beneath a mattress.
Judge Daniel Moreno set Kao Chongsua Xiong's manslaughter and child-endangerment case for a jury trial after another attempt at plea negotiations failed on Tuesday.
Xiong's attorney, Steven Meshbesher, would not elaborate on whether offers from Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Amy Sweasy involved prison time or probation, but he described them as inadequate.
"Obviously my client feels bad about the situation, and I wanted to resolve it in a way that would accommodate that," he said. "What specifically it was, I'm not going to discuss publicly."
He added, however: "We were not happy with their proposal."
In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said his office will continue attempts to reach a deal.
"We are struggling to balance the family's grief with the tragic violation of the law that resulted in a young child's death," he said. "We remain hopeful that an appropriate resolution that meets that balance can be reached, and we are determined to keep working toward that goal."
Xiong, 31, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and child endangerment, both felonies, three weeks after his 2-year-old son, Neegnco Xiong, was killed on Dec. 5. Charges say Xiong had eight guns in the two-bedroom home at 1907 7th St. S. at the time the 4-year-old was playing with the gun, which had been stashed between the bed and the mattress in his bedroom. Xiong and his wife were on the first floor of the home preparing lunch when the gun went off. They found Neegnco on the upstairs bed and his 4-year-old brother under the bed. A 5-year-old son was at kindergarten at the time, while a 1-year-old was asleep in the children's bedroom.
