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Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate in shock after shooting leaves 4 dead






The front page of the Sota Iye Ya Yapi, the newspaper of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, features a story and statement about the deaths of four young people. One person survived the shooting and remains hospitalized. Image from SWO

The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota is in mourning after a shooting left four people dead and one person injured.

A gunman identified as Colter Richard Arbach, 22, killed three people and injured another before shooting himself, the South Dakota Attorney General's Office said in a press release. The incident occurred early Saturday morning at a house on the reservation.

"I am asking the community stand together during this difficult time," Chairman Robert Shepherd said in a statement published in Sota Iye Ya Yapi, the tribe's newspaper. "We are never stronger than when tested with great loss and as Dakota people we look to the Creator and one another for strength and comfort for the difficult days ahead."

"As with such tragedies many will want to ask questions regarding the events," Shepherd said. "I ask that we allow our families time to mourn and that we respect them during this time."

Sota Iye Ya Yapi identified the deceased victims as Vernon Renville Jr., Angela Adams and Candace LaBelle. The injured victim is Karissa DogEagle, who remains hospitalized.

The Attorney General's office said it is continuing to investigate, with the assistance of tribal and local authorities.

Get the Story:
Official: SD man kills 4, including self, wounds 1 (AP 11/22)
Four dead in murder-suicide on South Dakota Native American reservation (The Los Angeles Times 11/22)
UPDATE: Shooter Identified as One of Four Dead in Sisseton, South Dakota (KYFR 11/22)
Four dead, another injured in Sisseton murder-suicide (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 11/23)
Family members talk about Sisseton shooting victims (Valley News 11/23)
Community Grieves After Morning Shooting In Sisseton (KELO 11/23)

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