MortonCountyrelease

DonnellHushkatoDonnell,rokeller1@gmail.com

10:12AM

MortonCountyLeadsInvestigationintoCircumstancesSurrounding9/3/16
Protest

Mandan,N.D.AjointtaskforceledbytheMortonCountySheriffsDepartment
isexaminingthecircumstancessurroundingaprotestthattookplacesouthof
MandanSeptember3rd,2016.Theinvestigationincludesafocusonthosehired
byDakotaAccessPipelinetoprovideprivatesecurityservicesonthatday,
whetherornottheywerelicensed,andtheiractions.Thetaskforceisalso
exploringwhetherornotnativeartifactsweredisturbedattheworksite.In
addition,theinvestigativeteamisreviewingtheactionsoftheprotesters.

Thistaskforceisaninvestigativetoolcomprisedoflawenforcementand
detectiveswithspecificareasofexpertisetogather,evaluateandpossibly
prosecuteforcrimes.Iamusingalltoolspossibletoinsurethisinvestigationis
carriedoutwithnobiastowardDakotaAccessPipelinenorthepipeline
protestors,saidMortonCountySheriffKyleKirchmeier.
ThetaskforceismadeupofmembersfromMortonandMercerCountySheriffs
Department,BureauofCriminalInvestigationandBureauofIndianAffairs.There
isnotimelineforwhentheinvestigationwillbecomplete.

September3rd,MortonCountydeputiesrespondedtoareportofprotestersina
DAPLworksitelocatedonprivatepropertywestofHighway1806.DAPLprivate
securityofficerswithdogswereattheworksite.Protestersbrokethroughafence
andenteredthesite.Severalsecurityofficersreportedbeingattackedby
protestersduringtheconfrontation.Sevenindividualshavebeenidentifiedand
chargedwithcriminaltrespassfortheirinvolvementintheprotestthatday.

Kirchmeieradded,Itisimportantwegivethisincidentathoroughexamination.
Lawenforcementwasnotpresentonthesceneduringtheconfrontationand
therehavebeenallegationsonbothsidesofthisissue.Again,Icantstressit
enough,thesafetyofallcitizensisparamount.MortonCountyalongwithBCI
continuetoinvestigateallprotestrelatedincidents.

TheMortonCountySheriffsDepartmentissolicitingadditionalinformation
regardingtheincidentattheDAPLworksiteonthatday.ContacttheSheriffs
Departmentat(701)6673330withinformation.

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