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David Donnell Jr. Pleads Guilty To Killing Red Lake Tribal Police Officer Ryan Bialke

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Red Lake man has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting and killing a tribal police officer last year.

David Donnell Jr. was earlier charged with one count of second-degree murder and four counts of assault, according to court documents.

According to a complaint, Donnell's girlfriend's mother called police and said he was suicidal. Ryan Bialke and four other Red Lake Tribal Police Department officers responded and found Donnell, who had an active warrant, on the front porch of his home in Redby. When they confronted him, he ran inside and refused to come out.

The officers decided to force their way in, with Bialke in the lead. When he kicked the door down, he was hit by gunfire from inside of the home.

Ryan Bialke
Officer Ryan Bialke (credit: Red Lake DPS)

Bialke died at the scene. He left behind a wife and four children.

A neighbor called an officer and said Donnell came to her house and she took a gun from him. Officers went to her home, arrested Donnell and seized a rifle, the complaint states.

Donnell allegedly admitted to the shooting in an interview with police, saying he knew he was firing at police, and that he knew about his warrant and did not want to be arrested.

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