SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – It’s been nearly three months since three people were injured and one person died in the Dunham Park shooting.
Over the last few days, police have made progress in the case, indicting and issuing arrest warrants for two suspects. On Friday, they arrested one suspect, Walter DeShawn Stewart, and are still looking for the second, Lamont Burks Jr.
Here’s a timeline for events and KELOLAND News coverage related to the shooting and aftermath.
August 25
Around 4:21 p.m., police are called to Dunham Park for a gunshots. When they arrived, one person was dead and others were injured. Avera McKennan Hospital was put on restrictive access at 5:10 p.m. Sunday.
August 26
Police reveal that 29-year-old Josh Allen Jr was killed in the shooting and three other people were injured. They also said the situation started out as a large gathering of people that knew each other when a fight broke out.
August 27
Police say despite no arrests, there is not a threat to the public.
August 28
Josh Allen’s family makes a GoFundMe page to help financially support his children and their mother, Annastasia Maxwell. Allen has seven children.
“I know if their dad was still here, that was his whole purpose for anything in life, anything he did his motivation about everything was to give his kids a good life and a better life than he had,” Maxwell told KELOLAND News during a September interview about the fundraiser.
September 3
A vigil was held in Dunham Park for Allen. Around 20 people were there to sing and pay respects.
“When something like that happens, it’s just it’s tragic. And so people need a way to come and just release and leave with hope,” said Mary Ihli, who helped organize the vigil.
September 23
Allen’s family speaks with KELOLAND News about their frustrations with the lack of arrests.
“Where’s the justice supposed to come in at? You’ll not doing anything about it. Why is it, is it just because the color of our skin? What’s going on? I want to know,” said Allen’s younger brother Javon.
Chief Jon Thum said the police do have some information regarding the shooting, but were not able to release it at the time.
“To compromise that by providing information that is inappropriate could jeopardize the entire investigation,” Thum said back in September.
November 14
One of the three other injured victims testified as a witness in front of the Minnehaha County Grand Jury, according to court documents. Indictments and arrest warrants were issued for Walter DeShawn Stewart and Lamont Burks Jr.
Both men are charged with one count of Murder in the First Degree against Allen, one count of Attempted Murder of the First Degree and two counts of Aggravated Assault.
November 15
Stewart was arrested at approximately 1:30 p.m on Friday. He is being held on $1,000,000 cash-only bond.
November 18
Lt. Aaron Nyberg with the SFPD gave more information about Burks, the second suspect who has yet to be arrested. Burks is described as a 6-foot-3 male, 210 pounds, African American and a Sioux Falls resident. He is considered armed and dangerous and the public should not approach him, Nyberg said.
