56-year-old Joseph Thunder Hawk was shot during a fight at Oglala Lakota Nation Wacipi, leading to concerns about lack of federal funding for public safety programs in the tribe.

A tragic shooting at the Oglala Lakota Nation Wacipi and Fair in Pine Ridge, South Dakota left one man dead and raised concerns about the lack of federal funding for public safety programs in the tribe. The 56-year-old Lakota man, Joseph Thunder Hawk, a tokala (warrior) of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was shot while attempting to break up a fight. The tribal president, Frank Star Comes Out, blamed the attack in part on the loss of federal funding, which resulted in a significant reduction of the tribal police force. In the aftermath, the community has come together to help each other and work on measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

August 17, 2024
3 Articles