RAPID CITY – A 17-year-old male has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred earlier today in the 1500 block of Wood Avenue.
At approximately 11:15 a.m., Rapid City Police Department (RCPD) officers responded to a report of a shooting in the area. Upon arrival, they discovered an adult male with a gunshot wound. The victim, identified as 33-year-old Dakota Britthouer, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Following an initial investigation, authorities developed information identifying Omariraine Red Bear, 17, as the suspect. Red Bear was subsequently taken into custody and has been placed in the Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center in Rapid City.
“Red Bear’s identification as the suspect in this homicide and his apprehension are a testament to the dedicated and diligent work of officers and deputies assigned to the case,” stated Captain Christian Sigel, Commander of the RCPD Criminal Investigations Division. “We will not let violent acts like this one become normalized in our community.”
The RCPD and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office are jointly conducting the ongoing homicide investigation. Authorities believe the suspect and the victim were known to each other, and the incident is not considered random.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Rapid City Police Department at 605-394-4131. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by texting the letters ‘RCPD’ and the information to 847411.
