Federal criminal charges have been filed in the shooting that occurred on the Spirit Lake reservation on Tuesday, March 4. Johnnie Jay Gaking is being charged with second degree murder, attempted murder, and offenses in Indian country according to documents filed by the FBI.
Gaking allegedly shot and killed his sister, his four-year-old niece, and wounded his mother in St. Michael. All had been shot in the head. All are enrolled members of the Spirit Lake Tribe.
According to FBI officials, Gaking fled the scene and stopped at another house on the reservation and stabbed himself multiple times.
One of the witnesses in the report stated that Gaking has “crazy eyes” and told them “they’re all dead, I didn’t do it.”
Another witness said the morning of the shooting, Gaking was “tripping,” not sleeping, and men in ski masks were chasing him. Gaking was also “crying” and “throwing things around.” Gaking told the witness “if you ******* don’t wanna believe me, I’m going to kill all you ******* then.” The witness said Gaking went into the bedroom and heard the gun go off. When Gaking came out to confront the witness, the witness “ran for his life.”
Gaking told FBI officials that “men in ski masks had been stalking [him] and that ‘they’ made [him] kill his family.” He also stated that he “did not stab himself and he did not know who stabbed him because ‘they were wearing ski masks.’” Gaking later stated he tried to kill himself.
A Community Prayer Day was held for the victims on Thursday, March 6 at Candeska Cikana Community College.
