(Grand Forks, ND) — The 27-year-old accused of opening fire on family members on the Spirit Lake Reservation is facing federal murder charges. Johnnie Jay Gaking IV (4th) was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for allegedly shooting and killing his older sister and her three-year-old daughter and critically wounding his mother in the spree. The shooting happened at the family’s home on the morning of March 4th as Gaking told authorities and witnesses that he did not commit the alleged crimes but instead, men in ski masks that he claims were stalking him. Gaking’s murder charges have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for each count with a maximum 20-year sentence for the attempted murder charge. He’s being held at the Ward County Correctional Center in Minot until his detention hearing on Thursday.
Federal Murder Charges Filed In Spirit Lake Reservation Shooting
