Two men were arrested on Saturday night for Criminal Trespass following an incident at the Roosevelt Park Zoo. The circumstances of the arrest involve an unfortunate degree of bear-human interaction. Read the full news release below.
— Official News Release, Minot Police Department —
At 11:38 PM on May 21st, police were dispatched to Trinity Hospital Emergency Trauma Center to investigate a report by a patient, David Shepard, who claimed he was attacked by a bear.
The investigation revealed that 21-year-old David Shepard and 23-year-old Cody Nelson Kage climbed the fence surrounding the Roosevelt Park Zoo. While walking the zoo grounds they came upon the bear enclosure. Shepard, with the intention of enticing one of the bears to come close to him, stuck his arm through the bars of the enclosure and the bear bit his right hand. Both, Kage and Shepard, were under the influence of alcohol at the time of this incident.
Cody Nelson Kage was placed under arrest for Criminal Trespass (C felony). David Shepard was not immediately arrested due to the medical treatment he was undergoing at the time of the investigation; however, a warrant will be requested for his arrest for Criminal Trespass (C felony).
