By: Devin Fry
BELCOURT, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer who fatally shot a Belcourt man on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in 2024.
Court documents filed Jan. 30 in U.S. District Court show Constance Wilkie filed the lawsuit on behalf of her minor daughter and as personal representative of Jordan Parisien’s estate. The suit names the United States of America, the Department of Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Justice Services and Officer Evan Parisien as defendants.
The lawsuit is the second wrongful death suit filed against Officer Parisien in connection with the shooting. Parisien’s father filed a lawsuit in September.
According to the complaint, the shooting happened on a Sunday morning along Highway 5 near Belcourt. The lawsuit states Parisien approached his ex-girlfriend’s family home around 8 a.m., driving erratically and armed. He told a friend he was going to kill himself before leaving the property.
Wilkie and her sister, an off-duty BIA police officer, immediately called police and informed them Parisien was armed, driving erratically, and suicidal, according to court documents.
The complaint states Parisien’s vehicle was stopped in a ditch along Highway 5 when Officer Evan Parisien approached with a high-powered rifle. A video that “went viral” on social media shows Parisien exiting his pickup truck with both arms down at his side and his hands visible, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states Officer Parisien shot Jordan Parisien multiple times while he stood outside his vehicle “in an unobstructed and non-threatening manner.” The video shows Jordan Parisien did not raise his arms or hands before he was shot, the complaint states.
An autopsy report included in court documents shows Jordan Parisien suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head, chest and back. The autopsy identified four gunshot wounds and two “shrapnel sites.”
The lawsuit alleges Officer Parisien made no attempt to de-escalate the situation and violated BIA departmental manual performance duties.
Court documents also reference a previous “officer involved” fatal shooting involving Officer Evan Parisien, as well as an off-duty physical altercation at SkyDancer Casino where the officer allegedly beat a female attendee at a music concert.
The complaint states Officer Parisien was not under suspension or limited use of firearms at the time of the shooting and was the “apparent lead officer” in the incident.
The lawsuit seeks damages for loss of society, emotional distress, loss of economic support and conscious pain and suffering. Plaintiffs are demanding a jury trial.
