The charges stem from an incident on Saturday, June 7, around 4 p.m. Officers had been dispatched to a narcotics call at 625 2nd Avenue North in Fargo. One officer monitoring live-stream cameras at the Roberts Commons Parking Ramp reported seeing two individuals smoking meth on the second floor.
Police identified Manitowabi as one of the suspects. When three officers attempted to detain him, he resisted arrest, pulled away, and then punched them. He fled north on Roberts Street before being taken into custody. The violent confrontation was captured on video and quickly spread across social media, where it gained millions of views.
Before sentencing, Manitowabi addressed the court and apologized. “I just like to say that I’m really sorry about the whole thing,” he said. He explained he thought officers were putting their hands on him without cause and believed he had the right to defend himself. “I wish it had never happened,” he added.
The case highlighted growing concerns about officer safety during narcotics calls and the impact of viral videos in shaping public perception of policing incidents. See North Dakota court records here.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
