THREE ARRESTED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

At 4:09 AM, on December 10, 2011, Beltrami County Sheriff's Office responded to a shots fired call in the 3100 block of Mill St NE in Bemidji Township.  Two bullets were fired into a residence from a high-powered rifle. 

The investigation revealed the shots had come from a vehicle on the roadway which was seen leaving the area by a witness.  Investigators recovered two slugs from the residence, one which had struck a mattress in a bedroom within the home.   Fortunately none of the occupants in the residence were struck by the gunfire.

Beltrami County Deputies and Investigators following up on the investigation quickly identified a suspect who is believed to have fired the shots into the home.  Deputies determined the victims in the case were witnesses in a Bemidji Police investigation in which Edward Michael Halvorson had crashed his vehicle in June of 2011 at the Green Mill Parking lot and was subsequently arrested for drunk driving.  That case was set for trial in the next few weeks and Edward Halvorson had recently learned the victims were to testify in his trial. The suspect and his parents were taken into custody late in the day on December 12, 2011. 

·         Edward Michael Halvorson, 37, Bemidji, is being held on charges of Felony drive-by shooting, Witness Tampering, and transferring a weapon to a person ineligible to possess a firearm. 

·         Darwyn Michael Halvorson, 71, Edward's father, was arrested for Aiding an Offender (Accomplice after the fact), Felon in possession of a Firearm and investigation of Possession of stolen Property.

·         Gretchen Catherine Swenson 63, Edward's mother, was arrested for Aiding and Offender (Accomplice after the fact)

The three suspects are currently in custody at the Beltrami County Jail.  The investigation is still underway and reports are being forwarded to the County Attorney's Office for charging consideration.

Sheriff Phil Hodapp