Adams County alleged arson targets law enforcement residence, sparks investigation
Mar. 6—Hettinger, N.D. — The Adams County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into an alleged arson attempt on the residence of Chief Deputy Jeff Gross in Hettinger. According to Sheriff Jordan Fisher's departmental Facebook post on Sunday, it is believed that the incident was an intentional act targeting Gross as a law enforcement officer.
The residence, located in the 300 block of North Main Street, was the target of the alleged arson attempt. Business owners and neighboring residents with doorbell or surveillance cameras that have a view of the street are being asked to review their footage from the night of the incident. The incident occurred between the hours of 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Any evidence that could be related to the crime should be immediately reported to law enforcement at 701-567-2530.
The Sheriff emphasized in their statement that all callers' anonymity will be fully respected.
Arson is among some of the most challenging crimes to investigate for law enforcement agencies as the process is often complex and demands substantial resources and expertise to solve. As per the North Dakota Century Code subsection 12.1-21-01, "A person is guilty of arson, a class B felony if he starts or maintains a fire or causes an explosion with intent to destroy an entire or any part of a building or inhabited structure of another or a vital public facility, or if he starts or maintains a fire or causes an explosion with intent to destroy or damage his own real or personal property for the purpose of collecting insurance for the loss."
Sheriff Fisher has not provided any further details or comments on the incident, with his department saying that the matter remains under investigation and no commentary can be provided. Efforts to reach him for clarification on some statements made to other media agency were unsuccessful. However, the seriousness of the alleged offense is not lost on the community, as the incident has raised concerns about the safety of law enforcement officials and their families in the community.
The Adams County Sheriff's Office is urging the community to come forward with any information that could help them identify the perpetrator(s) behind the alleged arson attempt as the Sheriff's Office works to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that the safety of its officials and the community is not compromised.
As news of the alleged arson attempt continues to spread, residents of Hettinger and the surrounding areas are expressing their solidarity with Chief Deputy Gross and the law enforcement community on social media, with the incident sparking a renewed support.
"Despite the extraordinarily strong support for law enforcement here, North Dakota is not immune from intentional targeting of law enforcement officers. Let's spread this message far and wide and bring the coward(s) responsible for this to justice!" the North Dakota Fraternal Order of Police stated in a Facebook post.
The Adams County Sheriff's Office has assured the community that it will leave no stone unturned in its investigation, and that those responsible for the alleged arson attempt will be brought to justice.
