Law enforcement in North Dakota is attempting to cover-up the true facts and circumstances that led to the shooting of an unarmed man in a hospital parking lot.
The public is yet to learn why David James Elliott, a man with no criminal record, abruptly fled from police in February, 2015, before being shot three times in the head.
Despite availability, no request has been made for the critical 911 records of Elliott’s call to PSAP, which would shed light on the events, facts, and circumstances that ended when Elliott was shot outside the Emergency Room parking lot of Altru hospital in Grand Forks.
On February, 8, 2016, WDAZ, Forum Communications, Inc. broadcast select video featuring short clips from the chase and shooting.
Responding to a request for information by Write Into Action regarding records, Lt. Derik Zimmel, Grand Forks Police Department (GFPD) said “In-car video for primary pursuing vehicles for both pursuits in their entirety” was requested by the media.
Zimmel’s reference to “both pursuits” is based upon an assertion that two separate pursuits took place on the night in question.
The deceptive story being given to the public is that the initial David Elliott pursuit was cancelled, and then, re-initiated, over an hour later, when Elliott returned to Grand Forks city limits.
That’s false.
"MULTIPLE COUNTIES"
"The UND police officer was assisting in a pursuit that had covered multiple counties as well as the City of Grand Forks," said UND Police Chief Eric Plummer during a press conference. [quote can be heard at the 20 second marker of the following video].
Plummer refers to ONE pursuit.
Either GFPD Chief Mark Nelson's public information officer Lt. Derik Zimmel is lying; or UND Police Chief Eric Plummer is lying.
The facts show Plummer is telling the truth.
The pursuit was on-going after law enforcement claims they stopped chasing Elliott on I-29 South near Thompson, North Dakota.
But law enforcement does not want the public to know that.
Public record already in existence establish that Grand Forks County Sheriff’s and North Dakota Highway Patrol were pursuing Elliott on I-29 South from the Oslo, Minnesota interchange to Grand Forks, which is in the opposite direction of Thompson.
The details of the mysterious events occuring during that time window are contained in the 911 records.
The reason for calling it ‘two separate pursuits’ is to avoid discussing the activities of the Grand Forks Sheriff’s deputies and North Dakota Highway Patrol that were likely attempting kill Elliott.
The following excerpt is from an Opinion Letter authored by Grand Forks County States Attorney David T. Jones:
According to States Attorney Jones, Elliott telephoned 911 after the pursuit began. The 911 records of Elliott’s 911 call will reveal where he was located and what was occurring around him.
“No transcription requests, or requests for additional video footage to be processed, have been made for video or 911 records,” said Lt. Derik Zimmel, GFPD.
Write Into Action has determined a collective effort is being made to conceal from the public, just exactly what occurred after police claim they stopped chasing Elliott near Thompson, North Dakota; and over an hour laater when they admit coming back into contact with Elliott near the Oslo, Minnesota I-29 interchange, which is in the opposite direction.
The truth is in the 911 records.
READ Timothy Charles Holmseth's letter to GFPD Chief of Police Mark Nelson.
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| GFPD Chief Mark Nelson |