PIERRE, SD – The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened Wednesday in Dell Rapids.

The South Dakota Office of the Attorney General says one person was injured in the shooting. The highway patrol trooper involved in the shooting was not injured.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said that the DCI is working with local and state law enforcement on the investigation.

After the investigation is complete, the DCI will issue a shooting summary.

 

WASHINGTON, DC – The war in Israel entered its sixth day of fighting the militant group Hamas. U.S. politicians are lending their voices on what to do next.

As the war intensifies, U.S. politicians are rallying behind Israel and pushing the U.S. to send additional military aid.

Senator Mike Rounds signed a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Defense to send additional Iron Domes to strengthen the message that the U.S. will do what it can to help the country.

“Since we have a couple of these Patriot batteries available or Patriot systems available, with their radar and missiles, after talking with some folks within the Department of Defense these are excess for us here, and we could send them to Israel as a way to increase or to improve their air defense capabilities at a critical time,” said Rounds.

Senator John Thune is one of 20 U.S. senators who signed a letter urging the president to freeze $6 billion in Iranian funds allocated to humanitarian aid that was freed up after a prisoner negotiation between the U.S. and Iran on September 11 this year.

“They’ll say they’re not going to use them for these types of activities, but money is fungible. So we should not be enabling, enhancing in any way. Iran’s ability to support finance and back these types of terrorist attacks, like what we saw from Hamas on Israel on Saturday,” said Thune.

With thousands injured and hundreds dead on both sides, politicians agree that casualties involving innocent lives are devastating.

“What we can do is to coordinate to provide humanitarian assistance to people regardless of if they are Palestinian or Israeli, but not to Hamas,” said Rounds.

Since the conflict began 27 American citizens have been killed and over a dozen are still missing.  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken touched down in Israel today to show his support.

 

SIOUX FALLS, SD – A former Sioux Falls dance teacher and coach – accused of soliciting a minor – is now believed to have had at least three young victims.

New court documents say 30-year-old Kevin Thongvanh has been indicted on 14 charges, including solicitation of a minor, sexual contact with a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Those same documents reveal that three teenagers testified in front of a Minnehaha County grand jury.

After hearing that testimony, the jury decided there is enough evidence for Thongvanh to face additional charges.

 

PIERRE, SD – Three statewide organizations are banding together looking to change South Dakota’s eminent domain laws.

Dakota Rural Action, Landowners for Eminent Domain Reform, and the South Dakota Farmers Union are the founding organizations of South Dakotans First. The campaign is looking at the 2024 legislative session in Pierre in hopes of persuading lawmakers to address eminent domain laws in response to proposed carbon dioxide pipeline projects.

Although both Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator Heartland Greenway were denied their permit requests in September.  Summit has indicated that they will be trying again while Navigator has apparently withdrawn all of its pipeline plans.  South Dakota Farmers Union Doug Sombke said those eminent domain laws need to change sooner rather than later, and this new campaign will be a unifying voice for many.

“The cheap slogan that I use is eminent domain for private gain is no way to go. We want it for public use only,” Sombke said.

By public use, Sombke said, the issue comes down to what commodity would go through landowners’ properties. He gave the example of electricity, transportation, or other public goods or services that can continue to follow the same eminent domain laws. But he said if a company is looking to make a profit, the use of eminent domain should be much stricter.

“We’re not against eminent domain per se. But it has to be limited on it’s use. If it’s done for the public use, it’s one thing. If it’s going to build a new fire department or a new hospital, or a new highway or bridge, that kind of thing it’s a whole other deal,” Sombke said. “There’s a number of businesses that we’re associated with. East River Electric for instance, Basin Electric. Those types of public entity businesses. It’s something that they almost need to have that at certain times. They don’t use it unless they have to.”

Polling provided by South Dakotans First finds that before people were given information about carbon dioxide pipelines, 58 percent of likely South Dakota voters opposed eminent domain for private use, including 42 percent that “strongly opposed” the action. The polling then said that after those polled were given arguments for and against pipelines, that opposition increased to 78 percent overall, including 60 percent who listed “strongly opposed”.

The three organizations say that funding for the campaign is coming from their organizations alone, all made up of South Dakota residents.

 

HURON, SD – The 2023 South Dakota State Fair generated $222,108.58 in tax collections.

During this year’s fair, 607 booths were rented to 322 different vendors.

According to the Department of Revenue, the money spent by fairgoers during the five-day event totaled over $2.7 million in revenue.

Even with record-breaking heat, the state has seen consistent revenue from the State Fair over the last several years.

Of the tax collected during the course of the South Dakota State Fair, $113,541.78 was state sales tax, $53,813.43 was Huron’s municipal sales tax, $15,777.19 was Huron’s municipal gross receipts tax, and $38,976.18 was state tourism tax.

 

SIOUX FALLS, SD – An assault victim fought back against four attackers, leading to the arrest of one of the suspects after he showed up to a local hospital with stab wounds. Police are still searching for the other three suspects.

The incident happened around 11:20 p.m. on Wednesday night near Delbridge Drive and Ebenezer Avenue.

A man was riding his bicycle when he noticed a car following him. The car stopped and four men approached and attacked the victim.

The victim, however, fought back with a knife he had in his possession. One suspect was cut by the victim.

All four suspects then fled, but threatened to come back with a gun. A short time later, they did just that. When the victim heard gunshots, he found a safe place to hide and the police were called.

As the initial investigation was ongoing, police were notified that one of the suspects had gone to a local hospital for his stab wounds. This led to the arrest of 28-year-old Joel Guerrero of Sioux Falls. Guerrero was charged with one count of aggravated assault.

The 20-year-old male victim did not suffer serious injuries and is unsure why he was attacked.

Police are still searching for the other three suspects.