Fargo, North Dakota – A suspect of killing a police officer has been identified. The suspect expressed his regrets, according to authorities.
Five Red Lake Tribal Police Officers were dispatched to David Brian Donnell Jr.’s home after he was reported to be suicidal, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
Upon arrival, they saw Donnell standing on the home’s front porch. Officers tried to get Donnell to step off the porch towards them, but he went inside and refused to come out.
They tried talking to him through the window to get him to come out, but he refused.
The documents say, Officer Ryan Bialke kicked the front door to make a forced entry and that’s when gunshots started coming from inside the residence towards the officers.
Officer Bialke was hit by the gunfire through the front door and died of his injuries at the scene.
Authorities say they ran towards the woods to get away from the gunshots. After the shooting, Donnell was seen walking west from the scene through the trees and holding a rifle.
Officers received a call from a person who lives two houses away from where the shooting took place and says Donnell was there. She took a firearm away from him and requested officers come pick up Donnell.
As he was being arrested, documents indicate, he said to police officers he was sorry.
Donnell was interviewed by law enforcement and explained that he knew he was shooting at police officers and that he knew about an outstanding warrant and did not want to be arrested.
Donnell was arrested on probable cause and is currently in the Beltrami County Jail.
