Posts Tagged ‘North Dakota Attorney General’

Investigative journalist assaulted head-on by vehicle one day before obtaining video

by Timothy Charles Holmseth on January 13, 2017, 08:35 P.M. CST

Never before seen video of a police shooting in Grand Forks, North Dakota has been exclusively obtained by Write Into Action.

01-09-17-nd-ag-police-shooting-video

The official version of the shooting is a lie.

Write Into Action (Timothy Charles Holmseth) obtained dash-cam video from a Grand Forks Sheriff’s vehicle that very clearly shows UND Police Officer Jerad Braaten shooting David James Elliott in the Altru Hospital parking lot in front of the Emergency Room.

The video of the shooting proves beyond any doubt that Grand Forks States Attorney David Jones willfully deceived the public when he announced the shooting was justified.

I have had opportunity to reports of investigation, supplemental reports, audio statements, photographic evidence, in-car videos, and PSAP recordings all relating to the underlying investigations. 
– Un-dated Letter, Grand Forks States Attorney David Jones

Officer Braaten has indicated that he was concerned for the immediate safety of Sgt. Ellingson, as well as the safety of others at or near the scene of the Altru parking lot. It should be noted that in addition to the officers present, there was civilians present as well who were in the process of entering the Emergency Room. It should be further noted that Officer Braaten’s line of fire was away from the Emergency Room or other occupied areas of Altru Hospital. 
– Un-dated Letter, Grand Forks States Attorney David Jones

Obtaining public records in this case has been an on-going battle that has now reached what appear to be blatant violations of the law by multiple law enforcement agencies in North Dakota.

The video obtained by Write Into Action this week was turned over by the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office only AFTER Write Into Action provided evidence from recorded BCI interviews of witnesses that proved the BCI possessed the dash-cam.

Write Into Action has also obtained other video from the scene of the shooting, as well as the 911 call made by David James Elliott the night he was shot. The additional video and 911 call were not in the inventory records but proven to exist by Write Into Action.

Today the following exchange occurred between Timothy Charles Holmseth and Liz Brocker, public information officer, Office of ND AG Wayne Stenehjem.

* * * * *

Liz,

The records you initially sent me of documents pertaining to the pursuit and shooting of David James Elliott did not contain an inventory sheet that showed the videos you sent me (GFPD, GFSO, NDHP).  I am requesting the BCI evidence inventory sheet that records the aforementioned video files you sent me.

Thanks,
Tim”

Brocker replied.

* * * * *

The records you requested have been provided previously. A public entity is required only to provide one copy of requested records. A public entity is not required to explain the content of its records.

We will not respond to further requests for these records.

* * * * *

Write Into Action possesses the CD the records are embedded into and no such inventory sheets are present.

ASSAULT UPON TIMOTHY CHARLES HOLMSETH

The day before I received the CD of the police shooting in the mail, I was assaulted by a vehicle that attempted to ram me head-on while I was working as a delivery driver. I avoided the collision by driving half of my car up onto a snow bank.

Corrupt Grand Forks Police Chief Mark Nelson and Grand Forks city officials have been notified about their little stunt on 16th Street, which should curtail any plans to ram my vehicle in the future and then accuse me of a bunch of felonies I didn’t commit.

01-10-17-letter-mark-nelson-vehicle-assault

STATUS OF THE VIDEO

Write Into Action is presently withholding publication of the video of the shooting for legal reasons.

DRUGS AND MURDER IN GRAND FORKS

As a matter of public safety, Write Into Action strongly recommends the public read previous articles regarding the homicide of Caitlin Jenna Erickson and its connections to the David James Elliott shooting.

* * * * *

The David James Elliott pursuit and shooting

  • David James Elliott telephoned Grand Forks PSAP (911) almost immediately after GFPD Dan Harvala attempted to pull him over for running a red light. David Elliott had no meaningful criminal history and there is no known reason he would feel compelled to flee at very high speeds. He stayed on 911 with a police officer, GFPD officer Matthew Bullinger, for some two hours until he was shot while holding the phone.
  • David Elliott made arrangements to meet GFPD officer Matthew Bullinger at Altru. After arriving in front of the E/R David Elliott is seen pointing in the direction where UND officer Jerad Braaten is approaching him. He fled again on four flat tires and was shot through his back window by Jerad Braaten.
  • David Elliott was unarmed.
  • David Elliott had thousands of prescription pills in his truck that BCI agent Michael Ness said where in “bags”.
  • Jennifer Elliott, David Elliott’s wife, said all the pills her husband possessed were all coming from Altru doctors.
  •  Grand Forks PSAP deleted the 911 call.
  • UND police officer Jerad Braaten was not scheduled to work on the night he interjected himself into a slow speed pursuit and shot David Elliott.
  • UND police officer Jerad Braaten, a rookie cop on his first job, was inexplicably training an intern (on a night he was not even supposed to work), Heather Hopkins, on the night of the shooting.
  • David Elliott was nearly completely stopped atop the Columbia Road Bridge where he was trying to meet GFPD officer Matthew Bullinger. He continued inching forward as Jerad Braaten was pointing a gun at him.
  • The audio portion of UND police officer Jerad Braaten’s body-cam captured him telling Hopkins he hoped to provoke David Elliott into ramming him.
  • David James Elliott told Write Into Action (Timothy Charles Holmseth) that Jerad Braaten attempted to shoot him minutes before the actual shooting, while atop the Columbia Road Bridge, but his gun jammed.
  • The audio portion of Jerad Braaten’s body-cam reveals a clicking sound on Braaten’s gun that sounds like a misfire atop the Columbia Road Bridge.
  • Jerad Braaten’s dash-cam was never found and/or entered into BCI evidence.
  • Jerad Braaten’s body-cam was found underneath his squad car where he tried to hide it.
  • Jerad Braaten did not put his body-cam on his shirt until a few minutes before he joined the pursuit and shot David Elliott (although he had supposedly been on-duty for hours).
  • Jerad Braaten had UNDPD intern Heather Hopkins put the body-cam on his shirt, which was placed on him improperly and captured no visual (except the moment it’s thrown under the car).
  • After the shooting, the audio portion of Jerad Braaten’s body-cam reveals he asked Heather Hopkins if she saw David Elliott try to run a police officer over. Hopkins promptly replied yes. Braaten then told her he would need a witness statement confirming it and she said she would give it. However, when Hopkins was interviewed by the BCI she balked, and said she didn’t see what happened.
  • GFPD Sgt. Mark Ellingson, the officer that Jerad Braaten said he was worried about, is captured on audio at the scene telling Jerad Braaten he was never in any danger.
  • UNDPD chief Eric Plummer reprimanded Jerad Braaten in writing regarding issues with his police-cams.
  • GFPD chief Mark Nelson subsequently hired Jerad Braaten onto his Department.
  • Videos obtained by Write Into Action have been tampered with by someone using a video editor. For instance – dash-cam from the squad car of GFPD officer Dan Harvala is in clear crisp color on most of the footage. However, the portion that actually shows the shooting in the distance has been converted to black and white which obscures the details.
  • Video showing what happened atop the Columbia Road Bridge has been redacted.
  • Videos obtained by Write Into Action reveal the time-stamps on the dash-cams do not even remotely match the events taking place on the officer body-cams.
  • David Elliot was shot three times in the head and his ear drum was blown out. Two of his fingers were shot off but re-attached.
  • After being hired by the GFPD, Jerad Braaten was at the scene of a fireworks accident in Grand Forks where a man’s fingers were blown off. The fingers disappeared. They were found later on a picnic table in East Grand Forks.

The following is my investigative opinion.

  • It is my investigative opinion that Jerad Braaten sounds like a psychopath when he is talking to Heather Hopkins.
  • It is my opinion Jerad Braaten may have taken the fingers from the fireworks scene and kept them. He may have placed them in the Red River Valley Campground as a trophy of what he did to David Elliott and/or an ominous message to the drug trafficking underworld.
  • It is my opinion GFPD chief Mark Nelson has violated his oath, betrayed the public, and is engaging in extensive efforts to cover up events that involve drug trafficking, shootings, and homicide(s).

VISIT WWW.WRITEINTOACTION.COM

Secret pursuit of David James Elliott began an entire HOUR before ‘suspicious vehicle’ call from Wells Fargo Bank

by Timothy Charles Holmseth on March 19, 2016, 11:37 A.M. CST

Official records prove North Dakota law enforcement spokesmen willfully deceived the public when they told the media the pursuit of David James Elliott began as the result of a ‘suspicious vehicle’ call placed at 10:41 P.M., February 27, 2015 from the Wells Fargo Bank in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

It was a colossal deception at the highest levels.

ND AG Wayne Stenehjem

ND AG Wayne Stenehjem

Write Into Action has acquired the investigative records of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) report, which says the complaint made from the Wells Fargo Bank was made between 11:30 P.M. and 11:40 P.M. that night.

The ‘suspicious vehicle’ report has been the consistent starting line given by police to explain law enforcement’s focus on Elliott on the night in question before he was finally shot in the head in the Altru hospital parking lot at approximately 12:45 A.M., February 28, 2015 by a UND police officer.

The whole story the police told was a lie.

Here’s the proof:

Law enforcement officials told the media that a call was made reporting a suspicious vehicle at 10:41 P.M., February 27, 2015, in the Wells Fargo parking lot. The deceptive communications by public information officers were so effective the mainstream media fell for the parlor trick.

* * * * *

Police were called to the Wells Fargo Bank on South Columbia Road around 10:40 p.m. Friday for a suspicious black pickup. Someone from inside the bank reported the vehicle, thinking it was odd the pickup was in the bank parking lot at such late hours, said Grand Forks Police Lt. Dwight Love Wednesday.
     -The Bismarck Tribune

* * * * *

THE TRUE TIME OF THE CALL FROM WELLS FARGO BANK WAS AROUND 11:40 P.M. OR LATER

Grand Forks Police Department Officer Dan Harvala and Grand Forks Police Department Officer Matt Bullinger responded to a low party complaint. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Dan Harvala indicated there was a suspicious vehicle complaint from the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) pending and that once he cleared the low party complaint he responded to the suspicious vehicle complaint. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Dan Harvala said that the suspicious vehicle was for a black pickup in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank, Grand Forks, North Dakota. The cleaning woman inside the bank called in the complaint around 11:30 p.m., to 11:40 p.m
     -BCI

When asked about the Wells Fargo call during a press conference, Lt. Dwight Love, GFPD, told reporters “It was in the morning hours”

* * * * *

EVIDENCE POLICE WERE STRATEGICALLY FUSING THE CALL FROM WELLS FARGO BANK AT 11:40 P.M. WITH THE PURSUIT THAT BEGAN AT 10:40 P.M. TO CREATE THE ILLUSION THAT IT ALL BEGAN AT THE SAME TIME

“On Friday night, February 27, officers responded to the Wells Fargo parking lot in reference to a suspicious person. When they arrived they saw a vehicle leaving the area. They saw that vehicle commit a traffic violation. They attempted to stop that vehicle. And that led to a high speed pursuit. The speeds were to around 100 mph through town. A supervisor realizing that’s probably not a safe situation terminated the pursuit. About two hours later that same vehicle was reported to police as a welfare check – possible suicidal subject – they came back into town – where it attempted to strike an officer attempting to make a traffic stop – a second pursuit started and went through the University of North Dakota area – during that time it went over the over pass – the Columbia Road overpass. We did spike strips on two occasions. That didn’t stop that suspect’s vehicle. It continued to the Altru Parking lot where the officer involved shooting occurred.”
-Official Press Release by Law Enforcement

* * * * *

The reason law enforcement tricked the public regarding the Wells Fargo call was because police, state troopers, and deputies began chasing Elliot at approximately 10:30 P.M. but cannot EXPLAIN to the public WHY.

SPOILER ALERT: It likely involves drug trafficking because according to BCI records Elliott possessed “thousands” of pills.

OFFICER WITNESSED DAVID ELLIOTT BEING CHASED AT 10:30 P.M.

In regard to the first (1st) pursuit, Grand Forks Police Department Officer Chris Brown said that he was at the Altru Hospital Emergency Room with a female that refused to leave, and a pursuit began at about 10:30 p.m./10:35 p.m. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Chris Brown saw the first (1st) pursuit proceed northbound on South Columbia Road past the Altru Hospital, but he was not involved. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Chris Brown continued with his call at the Altru Hospital Emergency Room until around 11:00 p.m. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Chris Brown overheard Grand Forks Police Department Sergeant Mark Ellingson terminate the first (1st) pursuit. Grand Forks Police Department Officer Chris Brown said that he called into dispatch and heard that Grand Forks Police Department Officer Matthew Bullinger was on a 911 call with the suspect (DAVID ELLIOTT) in the pursuit, and that DAVID ELLIOTT had a domestic incident earlier in the day with his wife, Jennifer Elliott, and that he may be suicidal.
-BCI

DEPUTY ADMITS INVOLVEMENT IN PURSUIT THAT BEGAN AT 10:45 P.M.

In regard to the first (1st) pursuit with DAVID ELLIOTT, Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider said he was west of Thompson, North Dakota, when it began. Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider believed that it occurred between 10:45 p.m., to 11:00 p.m., and he was heading towards the Grand Forks Air Force Base, Grand Forks, North Dakota, for dinner.
-BCI

Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider positioned his vehicle at a crossover about one (1) mile north of the Thompson, North Dakota, exit. Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider notified Grand Forks Police Department that he had deployed his spike strips. Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider indicated that Grand Forks Police Department Sergeant Mark Ellingson terminated the pursuit.
-BCI

Now watch … after Deputy Schneider was busy laying out spike strips for David Elliott north of Thompson around 11:00 P.M, he is then magically transported to the Grand Forks Air Force base where he is eating dinner!

Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Deputy Nate Moen and Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Andy Schneider went to the Grand Forks Air Force Base in Grand Forks, North Dakota, at approximately 11:00 p.m., to have dinner.
-BCI

Absolutely impossible.

Mapquest Thompson GFAFB

GRAND FORKS SHERIFF’S OFFICE ATTEMPTS TO HIDE LOCATION AND ACTIVITIES OF DEPUTIES

In the Affidavit filed with the court by the Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office, there is no mention of Deputy Schneider being north of Thompson setting out spike strips. In fact – the GFSO does not mention setting out spike strips anywhere in their Affidavit whatsoever.
READ AFFIDAVIT

THE SHOOTER, JARED BRAATEN, WAS NOT SCHEDULED TO WORK ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION AND NONE OF HIS CAMERA’S WERE WORKING

The shooter, UND Police Officer Jared Braaten, was not scheduled to work on February 27, 2015 but suddenly did.  He began his un-scheduled shift at 10:30 P.M. – the exact same time the secret pursuit of David Elliott began.

Officer Braaten did not properly activate his dash-cam, and his body-cam did not work.

UND Police Department officer JARED BRAATEN has been employed as a police officer by the UND Police Department for approximately one and one-half (1½) years. While he was not scheduled to work on Friday, February 27, 2015, to Saturday, February 28, 2015, he did work the days in question. UND Police Department officer JARED BRAATEN began his shift at approximately 10:30 p.m.
-BCI

In regard to UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN’s body camera, UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN indicated that he wore a different uniform shirt that evening and could not place the body camera where he normally placed it. UND Police Department officer JARED BRAATEN had UND Police Department intern Heather Hopkins place a body camera on the right shoulder of his uniform shirt. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN stated that the body camera was sideways on his right shoulder, but got dislodged when he reentered the vehicle, prior to the incident on top of the Columbia Road overpass and did not know its whereabouts. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN stated that the body camera was turned on. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN said that he activated the body camera manually by flipping down the lens cover. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN indicated that he recorded directly onto the body camera and that he had to physically download it at the UND Police Department.
-BCI

Concerning the in-car camera, UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN indicated that after the UND men’s hockey game he went directly to the UND Police Department and was immediately dispatched on a call. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN said that he forgot to insert the video card into the in-car camera. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN stated that the in-car camera turned on automatically when he initiated the emergency lights, and he could not view the in-car camera without the video card. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN was issued his own video card and that it was in his equipment bag that was in UND Police Department unit #5. UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN assumed that his equipment bag was at the UND Police Department.
-BCI

At 1:07 p.m., Special Agent (S/A) Michael J. Ness requested that University of North Dakota (UND) Police Department Lieutenant Tracy Meidinger download the image from UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN’s body camera. S/A Ness and UND Police Department Lieutenant Tracy Meidinger also looked at UND Police Department Officer JARED BRAATEN’s SanDisk four (4) gigabyte (GB) flash card, but there were no recordings pertinent to the officer involved shooting investigation.
-BCI

ND AG WAYNE STENEHJEM

The BCI is an agency of the North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.

Stenehjem is running for governor.

VISIT WWW.WRITEINTOACTION.COM