Bismarck, N.D. – A 43-year-old Bismarck man was taken into custody early Thursday morning after he allegedly approached two individuals while brandishing a knife, prompting another terrorizing charge—just weeks after being released on bond for a similar offense involving a firearm.
According to the Bismarck Police Department, Dustin Ward was arrested shortly after 3 a.m. on April 4 following an incident late the previous night in the 1100 block of Summit Boulevard.
Officers responded to the area around 11 p.m. after receiving a report that Ward had approached a local resident and an Uber driver in an apartment parking lot. Both individuals told officers that Ward held a knife in a threatening manner, causing them to fear for their lives and the safety of others nearby.
Due to Ward’s prior criminal history and the nature of the current charges, West Dakota SWAT was deployed to safely carry out the arrest. Authorities said the decision to use a tactical unit was made out of an abundance of caution. Ward was apprehended without incident and taken to the Burleigh Morton Detention Center, where he remains in custody awaiting an initial court appearance.
At the time of his arrest, Ward was already out on bond stemming from a previous incident in Mandan, North Dakota, in which he allegedly terrorized individuals with a firearm. Police noted that Ward has a lengthy history of criminal behavior in the state, including previous violent offenses.
The Bismarck Police Department issued a statement thanking all involved in the operation and confirmed that no officers or bystanders were injured during the arrest. The investigation remains ongoing.
Ward is now facing an additional terrorizing charge related to the Summit Boulevard incident. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether prosecutors will seek to revoke his bond from the earlier case.
