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1 dead after shooting at Oglala Nation Wacipi

Oglala Sioux Tribe Police Department patrol vehicle (file)
Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
Oglala Sioux Tribe Police Department patrol vehicle (file)

One person is dead and another in custody after a weekend shooting at Oglala Nation Wacipi.

According to a statement by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, there was an altercation between several males at the Friday night event. During the fight a 57-year-old male was shot several times.

A teen suspect was taken into custody while trying to leave the fairgrounds, authorities said.

Relatives of the victim, who identified him as Thomas Thunder Hawk, said he later died at a Rapid City hospital. Family members posted on social media Thunder Hawk took the bullets intended for his son.

Krystal Two Bulls witnessed the incident. She told SPB News she was standing about five feet away from the shooter.

"At first I thought it was just fireworks, or like the little bags that blow up that kids buy at pow wows. The first shot, that’s what I thought it was, but then it kept going," Two Bulls said. "Myself and my adopted brother, we’re both veterans, and we were just standing there visiting and catching up and it all kind of played out in front of us. We both immediately responded – he pushed a little girl to safety – pushed her out of the way. We both ducked down when we realized it was actually shooting like gun shots. We actually saw the firearm and saw the shooting. And then the shooter and his little crew took off running and the crowd dispersed. They took off and then we seen the victim, the man, fall."

Authorities are investigating the incident.

Cara Hetland is the Director of Radio and Journalism Content for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.