West Fargo teacher won’t be charged for shooting and killing man outside church
A West Fargo High School driver’s education teacher will not be charged for fatally shooting a man in August outside a church.
Don Barron Jr., 53, of Moorhead, shot 25-year-old Austin Strom early on Aug. 17 outside Prairie Heights Church.
Strom, a parishioner at Prairie Heights, assaulted fellow church member Kent Hodges, 66, outside the church, according to a release issued two days after the shooting by the West Fargo Police Department. Barron intervened and ultimately shot Strom.
The prosecutor who reviewed the case told WDAY News the shooting was self defense.
The prosecutor met privately Thursday at the Cass County Courthouse with a few of Strom’s family members to inform them of the decision not to pursue charges.
Cass County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Younggren said the three videos he reviewed from the morning of Aug. 17 outside the main doors of Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo are essential to the case.
“That is what really helped us — you can take more of an objective view of this and look at the events as they are occurring with your own eyes and not just what is being told to you by other people,” he said.
Two men trying to get into church
Around 7:30 a.m., Hodges showed up at the church and tried to get in, but the doors were locked. Hodges is a member of the church.
“Mr. Hodges has some dementia himself. I don’t know if that was the cause, if that’s why he was there on a Saturday, but he was there for the church service which was actually on Sunday,” Younggren said.
That’s when prosecutors say Strom approached Hodges. Strom, also a member of the church, slept in his black SUV in the parking lot the night before.
“Mr. Strom unfortunately was having a significant mental health issue,” Younggren said.
This is when the first video was created. Prosecutors said Hodges recorded Strom ranting for six minutes.
Strom said he was ” ‘trying to get into the building because it’s my home, I’m God,’ he makes several comments to that effect,” Younggren said.
Prosecutors said Strom then picked up a rock. It’s believed he was going to use the rock to break into the church. That’s when the two men got into a pushing match. Hodges falls to the ground on two separate occasions.
That’s when the two other video recordings begin. One was taken by a man walking his dog, another was dash camera video from a car parked outside a business facing the church. That car belonged to Barron. According to prosecutors, the videos show Strom kicking Hodges in the head a number of times.
“He has a tooth that is missing, it looks like it loosened several of his teeth in the front, and a cut to his face, a pretty significant cut,” Younggren said.
Barron intervenes
Younggren said that is when Barron drove up to the church to intervene. The videos show Strom turn his attention to Barron, a driver’s education teacher at West Fargo Public Schools.
“Mr. Barron made many, many attempts to try to stop Mr. Strom from advancing on him and continuing to back up as he is coming at him,” Younggren said. “He ultimately shot him.”
According to the report, Barron unloaded his gun, put it on the hood of the car and called 911. The video showed Strom had his hands in the air as he advanced toward Barron.
Strom was shot once in the chest and died on scene. Younggren said Barron invoked his right to remain silent and never made a statement to police. Strom did not have a weapon, but the rock was still nearby.
“The law would have even covered a broader category of behavior here than (what) Mr. Barron did and attempted to do to stop Mr. Strom,” Younggren said.
Prosecutors said an autopsy found THC in Strom’s system, but they believe mental health issues were the driving factor.
West Fargo Public Schools did not take disciplinary against Barron as the investigation unfolded.
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West Fargo teacher won’t be charged for shooting and killing man outside church
A West Fargo High School driver’s education teacher will not be charged for fatally shooting a man in August outside a church.
Don Barron Jr., 53, of Moorhead, shot 25-year-old Austin Strom early on Aug. 17 outside Prairie Heights Church.
Strom, a parishioner at Prairie Heights, assaulted fellow church member Kent Hodges, 66, outside the church, according to a release issued two days after the shooting by the West Fargo Police Department. Barron intervened and ultimately shot Strom.
The prosecutor who reviewed the case told WDAY News the shooting was self defense.
The prosecutor met privately Thursday at the Cass County Courthouse with a few of Strom’s family members to inform them of the decision not to pursue charges.
Cass County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Younggren said the three videos he reviewed from the morning of Aug. 17 outside the main doors of Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo are essential to the case.
“That is what really helped us — you can take more of an objective view of this and look at the events as they are occurring with your own eyes and not just what is being told to you by other people,” he said.
Two men trying to get into church
Around 7:30 a.m., Hodges showed up at the church and tried to get in, but the doors were locked. Hodges is a member of the church.
“Mr. Hodges has some dementia himself. I don’t know if that was the cause, if that’s why he was there on a Saturday, but he was there for the church service which was actually on Sunday,” Younggren said.
That’s when prosecutors say Strom approached Hodges. Strom, also a member of the church, slept in his black SUV in the parking lot the night before.
“Mr. Strom unfortunately was having a significant mental health issue,” Younggren said.
This is when the first video was created. Prosecutors said Hodges recorded Strom ranting for six minutes.
Strom said he was ” ‘trying to get into the building because it’s my home, I’m God,’ he makes several comments to that effect,” Younggren said.
Prosecutors said Strom then picked up a rock. It’s believed he was going to use the rock to break into the church. That’s when the two men got into a pushing match. Hodges falls to the ground on two separate occasions.
That’s when the two other video recordings begin. One was taken by a man walking his dog, another was dash camera video from a car parked outside a business facing the church. That car belonged to Barron. According to prosecutors, the videos show Strom kicking Hodges in the head a number of times.
“He has a tooth that is missing, it looks like it loosened several of his teeth in the front, and a cut to his face, a pretty significant cut,” Younggren said.
Barron intervenes
Younggren said that is when Barron drove up to the church to intervene. The videos show Strom turn his attention to Barron, a driver’s education teacher at West Fargo Public Schools.
“Mr. Barron made many, many attempts to try to stop Mr. Strom from advancing on him and continuing to back up as he is coming at him,” Younggren said. “He ultimately shot him.”
According to the report, Barron unloaded his gun, put it on the hood of the car and called 911. The video showed Strom had his hands in the air as he advanced toward Barron.
Strom was shot once in the chest and died on scene. Younggren said Barron invoked his right to remain silent and never made a statement to police. Strom did not have a weapon, but the rock was still nearby.
“The law would have even covered a broader category of behavior here than (what) Mr. Barron did and attempted to do to stop Mr. Strom,” Younggren said.
Prosecutors said an autopsy found THC in Strom’s system, but they believe mental health issues were the driving factor.
West Fargo Public Schools did not take disciplinary against Barron as the investigation unfolded.
Related Articles
Rash of Minnesota motorcyclist deaths continues with Burnsville, Bloomington fatalities
Woodbury death investigation: Woman identified as St. Paul middle school teacher
Judge dismisses sexual assault charge in 2003 St. Paul case, citing ‘government’s inaction’
Woodbury police, BCA investigating death after ‘medical emergency’ as apparent homicide
In new HBO docuseries, Lois Riess tells why she killed husband in Minnesota, Florida stranger
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