Fuchs arrested in Montana
By Amy Robinson
Farmer Staff Writer
A man wanted in connection with a weekend shooting in McKenzie County was apprehended early Tuesday morning, Jan. 19, in Roosevelt County, Mont.
According to the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office, Kyle Richard Fuchs, 33, contacted McKenzie County investigators on Monday, Jan.18, to arrange to turn himself in after seeing himself in the news. Fuchs advised McKenzie County investigators that he wanted to give a statement and surrender peacefully to law enforcement.
“While investigating Fuch’s whereabouts in Montana, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office located Fuchs and arrested him,” stated Gary Schwartzenberger, McKenzie County sheriff. “He did not turn himself in. Law enforcement found and arrested him.”
The McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office issued an alert on Monday, Jan. 18, stating Fuchs was wanted for aggravated assault for allegedly shooting a man in the hip at close range with a handgun.
According to court documents, the victim indicated to law enforcement at the hospital that he had been shot by an unknown male with a small caliber handgun at his cousin’s residence south of Watford City. The victim stated that upon entering his cousin’s residence, he saw that his cousin, Robert Gabler, was bleeding from the face and the unknown male, Fuchs, confronted the victim with a handgun.
The victim said that a struggle began over the gun and several shots were fired. The victim said that he disarmed Fuchs and threw the handgun into the yard off the porch. The victim said he then left the residence to go to his parent’s house, and then to the hospital, to seek treatment for a gunshot wound to his hip.
Law enforcement officers observed the victim’s wounds at the hospital and noted what appeared to be a gunshot entry wound to his upper thigh and an exit wound in the upper buttocks area. Officers also noted gunpowder near the entry wound, indicating the firearm was at close range when fired.
When law enforcement officers responded to the residence, they were unable to locate Fuchs. Gabler and a female, Jessica Allen, who were present at the scene had indicated to officers that the male suspect was only known to them as “Kyle” and had fled the residence with their other female roommate, Stormy Knight.
A search warrant was conducted at the residence several hours after the shooting. A loaded .22 caliber handgun was recovered in the yard of the residence approximately 25 feet from the porch and blood spatter was located on the porch. Court documents state that blood evidence was also found throughout the residence.
Knight was later located and indicated to law enforcement officers that she only knew the suspect as “Kyle F.” and also indicated that “Kyle F.” had taken her from the scene of the shooting to the Mountain View Hotel in Killdeer after the altercation and had admitted to her that he had shot someone.
In an interview with law enforcement officers on Monday, Jan. 18, Fuchs stated to law enforcement that he didn’t know he had shot someone or that he was being sought until he saw news coverage of the shooting. Fuchs is currently in custody in Montana.
McKenzie County Sheriff Gary Schwartzenberger says that Fuchs is currently facing similar charges in a separate case in Montana. Fuchs will have to be tried in that case, where he faces a mandatory 10-year imprisonment if convicted, before he is extradited back to McKenzie County to face the new charge of aggravated assault, a Class C Felony, which carries a mandatory two-year imprisonment sentence.
Fuchs also has a warrant out for his arrest in Portage County, Wisc., for Disorderly Conduct in April of 2015.