FARGO (KFGO) – Charges will not be filed against a man who shot and killed another man outside Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo in August.
A memo from Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney Ryan Younggren details the events surrounding the shooting that killed 25-year-old Austin Strom the morning of Saturday, Aug. 17.
The memo says Strom, who was a member of the church, had been sleeping in the parking lot. Around 7:45 a.m., another member and volunteer, 66-year-old Kent Hodges, showed up at the church.
Hodges has dementia and thought it was Sunday.
Strom confronted Hodges and demanded to be let into the church. Video shows Strom give a 6-minute monologue, claiming to be God and saying things like, “the second death will be upon you if I am not allowed in this house. My house.”
At one point, Strom grabbed a large rock and walked toward the glass doors. Hodges tried to stop Strom and move him off the property, but tripped and fell. Strom began kicking Hodges in the head and face.
That’s when Donald Barron, who had been watching the altercation from across the street, drove into the parking lot. As Strom continued kicking Hodges in the head, Barron got out of his vehicle with a gun drawn and told Strom to get on the ground.
The two men argued for a couple of minutes before Strom began walking toward Barron repeatedly saying, “I fear no one.”
Video shows Barron repeatedly telling Strom to stand back and warning him he would shoot as he backed away from Strom. Strom then moved quickly toward Barron and Barron shot him in the chest.
After the shooting Barron unloaded his gun and set it on the hood of his vehicle.
Strom died at the scene. Hodges suffered severe injuries that left him missing a tooth, several loose teeth, and stitches.
Younggren says Hodges was trying to prevent Strom from breaking the doors of the church, leading to the attack from Strom. Barron witnessed the assault on Hodges, and knew what Strom was capable of.
Younggren says state law gives people the right to defend property and use deadly force to defend themselves or others from death or serious injury.
Given the circumstances, Younggren says the state would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Barron, who had no legal duty to retreat did not act in lawful defense of himself or Hodges.
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