FARGO — A heated altercation between two North Dakota State University (NDSU) football players turned dangerous when Jaiden Traydeon Pickett, 19, allegedly fired a gun into a Fargo house, nearly striking a resident inside, court documents reveal. Pickett, a redshirt freshman who played his first game for the Bison just hours earlier, now faces felony charges of terrorizing, reckless endangerment, and theft of a firearm.
The incident unfolded shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, when Fargo police responded to reports of shots fired on the 1200 block of 11th Street North. Witnesses claim Pickett had gotten into a physical altercation with fellow teammate William Frattalone on the street. During the confrontation, Pickett allegedly drew a Beretta Px4 Storm 9 mm handgun and fired it into a nearby house, narrowly missing NDSU track athlete Isaac Huntington, according to police reports.
Footage from the scene captured the escalating argument but did not show the actual shooting. Another video shows Pickett pointing the gun at a third teammate, Logan Mathieu, and even jabbing him with the weapon. Police later discovered that the gun was reported stolen, adding to the severity of the charges against Pickett.
Pickett denied firing the weapon during his court appearance, asserting that he does not deserve to be charged. However, Judge Tristan Van de Streek, citing the seriousness of the allegations, set bail at $50,000. Pickett remains in custody at the Cass County Jail and faces up to five years in prison for each charge if convicted.
NDSU swiftly removed Pickett from its football team, citing a violation of the student-athlete code of conduct. Head coach Tim Polasek emphasized that being a student-athlete is a privilege that comes with high expectations of responsibility and positive representation of the university.
While Pickett’s fate hangs in the balance, teammate William Frattalone, who was involved in the initial altercation, has not faced criminal charges. NDSU officials are still reviewing the situation for any potential disciplinary actions against him.
This incident casts a shadow over NDSU’s dominant 52-3 victory over Tennessee State University, marking a stark contrast between the triumph on the field and the troubling events that followed.