Dickinson Reacts to Standoff on KMOT-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Dickinson Reacts to Standoff | Video

Andrew Keller

6/7/2009

It`s hard to believe that four of America`s Most Wanted fugitives chose to continue their crime spree in Dickinson and Gladstone this weekend. By Sunday night, two of the crooks were recovering from gunshot wounds; the other two were under arrest, and North Dakotans are left scratching their heads.

It all started on Memorial Day when 26-year-old Joshua Southwick, a convicted murderer, and 22-year-old Ashton Mink, also a violent criminal, escaped from an Alabama prison. Authorities say the pair were helped by Mink`s sister, Angela, and wife, Jacquelin. They all made their way to North Dakota, where they`re accused of robbing a Dickinson movie store on Friday, before fleeing to Gladstone and hiding out in a farmstead garage. It all culminated in a 14-hour standoff that ended is gunfire, and it was the talk of Dickinson on Sunday.

Two Inches of snow kicked off what would turn out to be a most unusual weekend. What started out as a video store robbery in Dickinson ended in nearby Gladstone with an armed standoff involving four of America`s Most Wanted and nearly ten police agencies.

Dickinson mayor Dennis Johnson says, "That`s just not an everyday occurance, and it`ll be okay with me if it doesn`t happen ever again."

Many are wondering how or why this even happened to begin with. After fleeing Alabama, the four crooks set their sites Friday on Dickinson.

Shawntaya Mickens of Dickinson says, "Out of all places, why a movie store? But then it was scary at the same time, because that`s like never happened down here."

Paulette Deibert of Bowman says, "I don`t understand why people from big cities come to small towns and think they can get away with stuff they can`t get away with anywhere."

Steve Swegner of Dickinson says, "Makes you wonder how you might have reacted if you ran across them, it`s a little intimidating."

Authorities say they do not believe the four suspects had accomplices in Dickinson. Stark County`s sheriff says it seems they picked the movie rental store at random to help stimulate their pocketbooks as they ran from the law.

Mayor Johnson notes, "It could happen anywhere, but it does show what happens when a community is prepared, our law officers are well-trained, and I think they reacted in an appropriate manner and did their job."

Stark County sheriff Clarence Tuhy adds, "Things do happen in this area, like they do every place else, like the interstate coming through North Dakota. We get a lot of traffic and accessibility in this area and out of this area, it could happen at a fast pace."

And happen it did on Friday and Saturday. For area residents, it serves as a friendly reminder.

"Every night now, we lock our doors because of that," says Shawntaya Mickens.

Just another effect of a scary situation that will stay in the memories of southwestern North Dakota residents for a long, long time.

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