The United States Supreme Court in 2010 declined to take up an appeal of the federal case brought forward by Lee's family.

The manner of Lee's death and the legal case against Andersen generated public outcry, particularly among the Hmong American community in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.

Public outcry over Lee's death was renewed more than a decade later during protests of racial injustice following the police murder of George Floyd in 2020.

[3] On July 22, 2006, just before 7:00 p.m. CDT, Fong Lee was riding his bicycle with four friends near Cityview school in north Minneapolis.

A Minneapolis Police Department squad car containing Andersen and his partner drove alongside Lee as they were followed by a Minnesota State Patrol vehicle.

Andersen claimed Lee was armed and had turned toward him possibly to shoot; the officer fired his gun.

Minneapolis homicide detectives and an internal police investigation later determined Andersen had acted in accordance with the department's guidelines.

[3][6] In their decision given on July 28, 2007, a grand jury declined to indict Andersen on criminal charges under Minnesota Statutes.

[9] Hmong community activists filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Civil Rights, but the case was not investigated.

The federal case, which was presided over by Judge Paul A. Magnuson, considered if Andersen's use of force was excessive and if his actions were malicious and should therefore result in compensatory damages.

[3] On May 27, 2009, a federal jury, which did not have any racial minority representation, decided against the family of Lee and ruled that Andersen's use of force was lawful.

[3][12][13] During racial unrest in 2020-2023 Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Lee's family and Hmong American activists joined those of the Black Lives Matter movement in protesting against police brutality.