PARSHALL Air Force security personnel, Mountrail County Sheriff's Department, Three Affiliated Tribes police and the FBI are investigating an incident Thursday in which a man jumped the fence of a Minuteman III launch site near Parshall.
According to the Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs office, 91st Missile Wing security forces personnel responded to an activated alarm at H-8 missile silo, located south of Parshall, and detained a man identified by the Mountrail County Sheriff's Department as James Richard Sauder of San Antonio. The suspect was later handed over to the sheriff's department who transferred him to the Mountrail County Jail in Stanley.
Special Agent E.K. Wilson, of the FBI branch in Minneapolis, said several FBI agents were on the scene Thursday afternoon working with the Air Force and local police to assess the situation and security threat, but could not comment further.
"The federal investigation is ongoing and we are working closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office, but it appears to be no nexus of terrorism," said Supervisory Special Agent Paul McCabe. "He has been charged on local charges, but the decision of whether to charge him federally is still pending."
Sauder was charged with criminal trespass, a Class C felony, according to Sheriff Ken Halvorson.
"The FBI is the lead investigative agency on the case, but from the initial information we have gathered we believe he was acting alone," said Laurie Arellano, chief of Public Affairs at Minot AFB. "There's no history or anything that would tie him here so it appears it was a random selection."
No motive has been established.
Steve he declined to give his last name watched the event unfold Thursday morning from his home near the H-8 missile silo, located near the intersection of 76th Avenue and 33rd Street Northwest.
"Early this morning, before 8 a.m., I saw this little red van parked in front of the gate, but I didn't see anyone around. I left and came back at about 9 (a.m.) and saw two helicopters flying low level and Air Force and police flying up and down the road blocking things off," he said. "I've lived here my whole life and I've never seen anything like it before. There was a lot of lights and moving around, but the airmen were calm and looked very professional, very well trained."
The van, a red 1993 Plymouth Voyager, was inspected by the Minot AFB Explosive Ordnance Disposal and the Minot Police Department Bomb Squad, but no explosives were detected. The van was then towed to the Minot Police Department for further investigation.
