It was a deadly weekend in Rapid City with 3 men shot to death in two separate incidents.
The bodies of two men were found in a North Rapid City apartment Saturday morning while one body was found early Sunday morning in a rural mobile home. The names of the victims have not been released.
The person believed to be the shooter in the single death was being interviewed by police while authorities are seeking 3 “persons of interest” in the double killing.
Police say 20-year old Chase Quick Bear, 15-year old Rochelle Janis, both of Rapid City, and 17-year old Robert Yellow Bird of Sioux Falls should be considered “armed and dangerous” and not be approached.
Authorities thought one of them was at a Rapid City residence Sunday afternoon leading to a standoff that began about 2:00 and ended almost 4 hours later without finding Yellow Bird, Janis, or Quick Bear.
Officers blocked off the area and evacuated several nearby homes as city, county, and state agencies all participated, backed by the Special Response Team.
Several individuals exited the house early on, but the last person didn’t leave for another 3 hours, then walked to and got in an ambulance. No information was released as to why.
Most of those who’d been in the house were taken into custody on outstanding warrants unrelated to the killings. No further information has been released on them.
There was actually a third shooting, but no one was injured. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office says several people leaving the Central States Fairground just after midnight Sunday morning reported hearing gunshots.
On-duty sheriff’s deputies also heard gunfire and immediately responded to an area outside the fairgrounds, but no suspects.
A video on social media showing people driving out of the fairgrounds when shots were heard. The person reporting the video says they were fired possibly came from a nearby car.
Pennington County Sheriff’s Lt Chris Hislip says that despite the incident, “The Central States Fair continues to be a safe, family-friendly event” with an increased presence of deputies on hand each year.