MINNEAPOLIS , MN -- The following information was released by the Minneapolis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:
Ralph S. Boelter, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis FBI Field Office, announces that Donald Leigh Clark, Jr., 22, of Redby, Minnesota, was charged by federal complaint on November 5, 2010, with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge stems from a shooting that occurred in Redby on November 3, 2010. In that shooting, Julian Keith Demarrias, 22, of Redby, was fatally wounded. He died later that day at Indian Health Services Hospital. Jerrick Jon Demarrias and Orland James Spears, both 19, were wounded and transported to other area hospitals of treatment of gunshot wounds suffered in the shootout.
Clark's whereabouts are currently unknown and the FBI and the Red Lake Police Department are attempting to locate Clark in order to affect his arrest. Clark is described as a Native American male, 22 years old, about 5'10' tall, and weighing about 225 pounds. He has brown eyes, short black hair, and a thin mustache. He was last seen leaving the area of the shooting in a black 1988 GMC Yukon bearing Red Lake license plate 19287. Clark is considered to be armed and dangerous and the public should exercise extreme caution around him if he is observed. Anyone with information about where Clark may be located is asked to call the FBI at 612/376-3200.
Before succumbing to his injuries, Julian Demmarias told Red Lake Police Department officers who responded to the shooting that he had been shot by Clark. FBI agents subsequently interviewed Jerrick Demmarias and Orland Spears at Sanford Hospital in Fargo and North Country Regional Hospital in Bemidji, respectively. Jerrick Demarrias told the FBI that he was riding in a vehicle with Julian Demarias and Orland Spears, and that they had a .22 caliber rifle, a .303 British caliber rifle, and a 410 shotgun in their vehicle because he planned to go hunting later that day. He said the vehicle he was riding in was passed by a black Yukon SUV occupied by Clark and Cruze White. The black SUV followed Demmarias' vehicle, and at stop sign, Clark and White got out of their vehicle while Jerrick and Julian Demarrias got out of their vehicle. Spears stayed inside that vehicle. Jerrick Demarrias said that Clark began shooting an 'AR-15' rifle, and that Demarrias was shot six times. Clark also shot Julian Demarrias, whom Jerrick Demarrias observed laying on the ground.
Spears told the FBI that he was in a parked vehicle with Julian and Jerrick Demarrias outside the 'Other Store' in Redby when they observed Clark, also known as 'Don Juan,' and White in a vehicle. Julian and Jerrick Demarrias and White all gestured for Clark and White to follow them in their vehicle, which they did. White said he and the others in his vehicle were in possession of firearms, and it was their intention to shoot Clark and White so that they would be taken away 'on a helicopter ride' to a hospital. The men drove a short distance to the site of the shooting, where Spears and the others in his vehicle got out of the vehicle. Spears said he did not have a gun when he got out of the vehicle. Clark got out of the vehicle he was driving and began shooting with an 'AK' assault rifle. Spears did not see White get out of the other vehicle. Spears heard gunshots and heard his friends screaming. Spears got back into his vehicle and was shot three times in his back while seated in the vehicle.
A witness to the shooting observed a blue Durango being followed by a black SUV. Both vehicles slammed on their brakes with the black SUV stopping about 100 feet behind the Durango. The witness recognized Julian Demarrias as he got out of the blue Durango with a rifle or long gun and pointed it at the black SUV. Two men got out of the black SUV, and the first shot appeared to have come from those men. The man who exited the driver's side had a handgun, and although the witness did not see the other man's gun, it sounded like a high powered rifle. The witness saw Julian Demarrias fall with his weapon. The witness then saw the occupants of the black SUV get back into their vehicle and drive away to the east. The witness then went to call 911.
FBI agents and Red Lake police officers who processed the crime scene located 11 spent 7.62 mm shell casings from the area behind the blue Durango. They also located five expended 12 gauge shotgun shells from the area behind the blue Durango. No expended shell casings were located on the ground near, around or inside the blue Durango. A 410 shotgun and two unexpended 410 shotgun shells were found on the ground near the driver's side of the blue Durango. A Mossberg International 702 Plinkster .22 caliber rifle with a scope and a MA Lithgow S.M.L.E. III 1944 rifle with a scope were recovered inside the blue Durango.
The recovered and expended 7.62 mm shell casings were stamped with '7.62' and 'WOLF,' indicating the manufacturer of the rifle rounds. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives advised that these rounds are believed to be manufactured outside the state of Minnesota and would have affected interstate commerce.
Donald Leigh Clark was sentenced to probation on January 25, 2010 for the offense of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, a felony conviction under Minnesota state law.
Clark was charged by federal complaint as being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition in or affecting interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, section 922(g)(1). No other charges have been filed in connection with the Redby shooting on November 3, 2010.
