Williston Residents React to Murders | Video

Chris Williams | 3/18/2013

For long time Williston residents, two murders in just two days isn`t something they`re used to. The first homicide happened early Saturday morning. Williston police say a group of men got into an argument at Whispers strip club, which led to Derrick Spiegel, 28, being shot and killed.

A little more than 24 hours later, the Williams County Sheriff`s Department says Christopher King was stabbed to death at the Capital Lodge man camp, east of Ray.

Ryan Anderson was arrested and is being held on murder charges.

"It`s changed a lot because of the influx of people here with the oil boom,” said Jerry Hennessy, who has lived in Williston for 88 years.

"A few years ago, it feels likening never hear anything about that. Now it`s happened twice over one weekend, so it is a little bit scary,” said Jordan Braaten, who grew up in Williston.

Braaten says she still feels safe in the town where she grew up, but is more cautious. "It kind of makes you realize you need to be aware of what`s going on around you.”

Steve Purcell has been in the Bakken for three years, and says this is the kind of thing that happens in a boom town.

"It`s getting worse, but that`s what happens when you have a boom like this. People are desperate to hire anybody, you`re not going to get the salt of the earth, you`re going to get what you can.”

Hennessy has lived in big cities before, and says he feels like he`s living in one again. "It`s getting that way. People need to get used to it because they`re predicting about 40,000 people here.”

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