News

​Is It Time For Hate Crime Legislation?

August 2nd, 2017

 Makruun Hagar with a poster of injuries suffered after an attack - photo by C.S. Hagen

Activists and a handful of counter protesters gather in the rain to discuss hate crime legislation and support for victims

FARGO – Afternoon rain didn’t stop nearly 200 people from supporting an anti-hate rally Wednesday outside current City Hall. The event also attracted counter protesters, although they predominantly remained quiet.

Christians, Jews, Muslims, and activists spoke at the North Dakota United Against Hate rally in an attempt to garner support for hate crime victims and…

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NORTH FARGO STANDOFF WITH SWAT ENDS AFTER SUSPECT SURRENDERS

August 1st, 2017

FTraffic was blocked off and rerouted for nearly five hours - photo by C.S. HagenARGO - Fargo Police responded to a domestic violence call for help in North Fargo Tuesday afternoon, which quickly escalated into a standoff after a woman jumped from a window and a single gunshot might have been heard, police said. The standoff ended shortly after 7 p.m., when the suspect gave himself up.

Surrounding streets were blocked off in all directions for nearly five hours, neighbors were evacuated from the area of 1007 8th Avenue North Tuesday afternoon while police attempted…

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Hate Crime Law Discussion Sparks Fierce Debate

August 1st, 2017

Makruun Hagar - photo by C.S. HagenFARGO - Moments before Makruun Hagar lost his nose, he tried to settle a domestic fight between a married couple, which began in the back of his taxi cab.

But when he intervened, he said he was called racial slurs, and then Dominque Martinez attacked -- punching his head then biting off his nose, permanently disfiguring him.

A struggle with police later ensued, but not before Martinez’s wife was struck and bit as well, the West Fargo Police Department’s incident report stated.

Police…

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Fatality at Hector Airport After Vehicles Collide

July 31st, 2017

Airpot Authority Executive Director Shawn Dobberstein points to where the accident occurred - photo by C.S. HagenFARGO - A contractor employee at Hector Airport was killed early Monday morning after being struck by an Airport Authority vehicle while re-striping the main runway.

“Vehicles collided,” Municipal Airport Authority Executive Director Shawn Dobberstein said. “An employee of the airport struck the person on the painting machine.” 

Shortly after midnight, the Airport Authority Chevrolet Traverse struck a striping vehicle — described as looking like a riding lawnmower — on the…

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​Republican Rebels Help Skinny Repeal Failure

July 28th, 2017

FARGO - The Republican’s crusade against Obamacare has all the signs of a covert mission. They met behind closed doors, revealed plans at the last possible moments, and voted late in the night when much of the public would be too tired to pay attention.

And they failed, again.North Dakota Capitol Building - photo by C.S. Hagen

All 48 Democrat senators voted no to the “skinny repeal,” along with three Republican: senators John McCain of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine.

“Three Republicans and 48…

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​Forgive, But Let’s Not Forget

July 27th, 2017

Victim of hate crime, Sarah Hassan hugs her attacker Amber Elizabeth Hensley Thursday at the Fargo Police Department - photo provided by Hukun AbdullahiFARGO – Two of the three Somali-American women threatened with murder two days ago by a white woman outside a local Walmart, met their attacker Thursday afternoon at the Fargo Police Department, and left in friendship.

“We hugged her, we cried,” Sarah Hassan, one of the victims, said. “I love her.”

On Tuesday evening Amber Elizabeth Hensley was filmed through 15-second WeChat video clips threatening the Hassan sisters and Rowda Soyan around 5:30 p.m.

Laleyla admittedly parked to…

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Racist rant caught on video highlights the local face of hate

July 27th, 2017

Three Fargoans originally from Somalia threatened with death outside local Walmart

“People look at us differently,” Soyan said a day after she was approached by a white woman from Mapleton in the Walmart parking lot. The car she was riding in parked a little close to a blue Honda, and the owner wasn’t happy.

“We’re going to kill all of you, we’re going to kill every one of you fucking Muslims,” the woman in the video said.

Since Rowda Soyan’s arrival in Fargo nearly five…

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​TigerSwan’s Troubles

July 26th, 2017

Open records request info: disregard for state laws, citizens, and property

MANDAN - Trouble followed TigerSwan everywhere the security company went in the Peace Garden State.

Tasked with the mission to protect the Dakota Access Pipeline by Energy Transfer Partners, TigerSwan stepped into a messy scene — chaotic — but the well oiled former Army Delta Force-led security machine went straight to work, starting at the local airport.

Records obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request…

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​F-M Diversion not diverting its course

July 26th, 2017

Minnesota DNR pulls out of talks while construction continues, and Metro Flood Board of Authority interviews for full-time position

FARGO - Sandbagging is local “schooling” the FM Area Diversion Authority wants to eliminate, permanently.

Fargo native Rocky Schneider remembers sandbagging when he was in high school, and then when studying for a masters degree at NDSU. In those days, he had fun. Kids got out of school. There was free food and drinks, and the memories are strangely…

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​“We’re Going To Kill All Of You”

July 25th, 2017

White woman threatens Somali-Americans outside of Walmart, fifth hate crime incident in 2017

FARGO – Three Fargoans, originally from Somalia, were stopped Tuesday evening outside of Walmart by a white woman from Mapleton and threatened while dozens of onlookers did nothing to intervene.

The women who were verbally attacked, Rowda Soyan, Sarah and Laleyla Hassan, were enjoying a day off from work when a blonde woman approached. Before they could enter the store around 5:30 p.m., the…

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