Two dead, including police officer, after Grand Forks incident

Updated: 9:05 p.m. | Posted: 5:34 p.m.

A Grand Forks police officer is confirmed to have died after an attempt to serve eviction papers elicited gunfire Wednesday at a south Grand Forks apartment building.

The officer — whose name is being withheld pending notification of relatives — was a member of the Grand Forks Police Department. His is the second death related to the incident, which also took the life of a woman who was in the apartment at the time.

It started around 2:30 p.m. as a routine service of eviction papers, according to Lt. Derik Zimmel, a spokesperson for the Grand Forks Police Department. It quickly escalated into gunfire, according to Zimmel.

The sheriff's deputies summoned additional officers to the scene.

“A male subject from within that apartment, unexpectedly and without warning, opened fire," Zimmel said. "The officers called for immediate assistance.”

Among those shot were two officers, including one from the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office and the Grand Forks Police Department officer who died, Zimmel said. The sheriff's deputy is in stable condition.

Zimmel said the suspect suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital. He also said a woman was found dead inside the apartment.

“During the course of the incident, the male suffered a gunshot wound and was transported for that injury. Two officers suffered gunshot wounds (and) they were both transported for their injuries," Zimmel said. "And we do have a female in the apartment found deceased from apparent gunfire.”

He said that because the Grand Forks Police Department and the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office are involved, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation likely will take the lead in investigating the incident.

A Grand Forks Herald reporter who lives near the incident heard approximately eight shots. When the reporter rushed to investigate as the incident unfolded, he was stopped and frisked by law enforcement officers. He then saw officers running to the scene with rifles.

A young man who declined to give his name told the Herald he was playing a video game in his nearby residence when he heard numerous shots.

“I was playing and all of a sudden I heard five, 10, maybe 15 shots ring out,” he said. “I didn’t know if it was right above or wherever.”

Officers from the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Forks Police Department, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the University of North Dakota Police Department and the U.S. Border Patrol were on scene shortly after the incident. They taped off the crime scene as numerous bystanders watched and took video. Streets near the scene were closed almost immediately.

“To my understanding, it was gunfire without warning,” Zimmel said. “That's one of the aspects of law enforcement. You go to a call that is something as simple as execution of civil paperwork, and it can turn very violent in a hurry.

“I think all of us are going to struggle with this one,” Zimmel said. “Whether you’re on the scene, whether you’re involved, whether you’re asleep and wake up to this news — brothers and sisters, when one hurts we all hurt. So we’re all going to have a tough time with this one.”

Zimmel said he considered the scene stable and believes there is no further threat to the public.

The Herald's Adam Kurtz, Hannah Shirley, Eric Hylden and Korrie Wenzel contributed to this report.

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