A homicide investigation after a boy was shot in Lame Deer

ROUND DEER, Montana — A bonfire is burning on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in memory of a young man who was shot in an apparent homicide. There is also a fire burning among tribal council members seeking to improve security on the reservation.

“Our community is suffering right now,” said a group of Northern Cheyenne tribal council members gathered in a council chamber in Lime Deer.

Dianna Parker

“On Wednesday evening, we had a shooting incident. It is very heavy, heaviness is felt in the area. This applies to everyone. There are families, they suffered greatly from this, but we all know these families. We’re friends with them, we’re relatives with them,” says Nijony Fries, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council.

Dianna Parker

“It’s tragic that our grandson lost his life because of a power struggle or their lack of attention to our crisis here,” said Melissa Lownber, the shooting victim’s grandmother and a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council.

Lame Deer and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is a community in mourning. Although few details have been made public, many are trying to make sense of the senseless tragedy of a St. Labre elementary school student being killed. His death was called a murder.

“It was an unfortunate incident. Northern Cheyenne is now cooperating with the FBI,” said John Grinsell, director of investigative services for Northern Cheyenne.

Due to the fact that the suspect is still at large, the tribal council issued a curfew order until the suspect is caught.

“If you see something, say something. We really need the community’s help with this, and that applies to all situations on the reservation,” Freese says.

Many say that there are many situations that are now being investigated by the newly created NCIS, or Northern Cheyenne Bureau of Investigation. Tribal council members say the community needs more officers because only three per shift are left to patrol the vast 440,000-acre reservation.

Dianna Parker

“I also spoke with law enforcement earlier today and they assured us that anyone who comes forward, any witness can be protected if they feel their life is in danger,” Fries says.

The boy’s name and age have not been released. Specific information about the shooting is not being released while the investigation is ongoing, but NCIS encourages anyone with tips or information to call 406-477-7100.

The family is accepting donations during this time of tragedy to help pay for unexpected expenses. Payments can be made via venmo on this account. Scan the QR code.

Dianna Parker