Bismarck, ND – An officer-involved shooting early Sunday morning near Belcourt, North Dakota, has left one man dead. According to reports from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, the shooting occurred after a federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer responded to reports of erratic driving and an individual possibly trying to draw law enforcement’s attention.
Tribal Chairman Jamie Azure initially stated that law enforcement was called to a residence earlier that morning after a report of a suicidal person. However, the situation soon escalated to the highway, where the suspect was allegedly driving erratically.
A later update from Alysia LaCounte, the tribe’s general counsel, confirmed that three officers responded to the scene on State Highway 5. After attempting to make contact with the driver, one officer drew a weapon and opened fire. The officer’s identity has not been released, and the number of shots fired remains unclear.
Neither the tribe nor law enforcement has provided specific details regarding the deceased individual, such as whether he was armed or posed a direct threat to the officers. Both statements emphasized that there was no immediate danger to the public, and the incident will be investigated by the BIA and the FBI.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the officer’s actions and the individual’s potential threat, remain under investigation. Authorities have yet to release any further information about the incident.
