On March 23, 2024, the life of Jamey Holweger, a 64-year-old White/Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Larimore, North Dakota. In the early afternoon, authorities received a harrowing 911 call from a woman who had just fled a residence at 502 West Eighth Street. She reported that a man had opened fire on her and Holweger, striking Holweger.
This call set in motion a tense and serious police response.
Deputies from the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office and troopers with the North Dakota Highway Patrol were already in Larimore and descended on the home almost immediately, establishing a perimeter. The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Troy Larson, who was related to Holweger, remained inside the residence. The situation quickly escalated, prompting the call for the regional SWAT and negotiation teams. For hours, officers surrounded the house, repeatedly trying to make contact with Larson and commanding him to surrender peacefully, but their calls were met with silence.
The standoff reached a critical point when the SWAT team breached a window and Larson fired multiple rounds at their armored vehicle. In an attempt to force him out, tactical officers deployed an irritant into the home. After several more minutes, Larson emerged from the house wearing only a bathrobe. Officers noted that something appeared to be weighing down one of his pockets. He initially complied with commands to put his hands up, but then lowered a hand toward his pocket. This movement was perceived as a threat, and a sheriff's sergeant fired his rifle, striking Larson in the back. Even after being shot, Larson remained non-compliant until officers could safely approach and secure him in handcuffs.
Larson was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transported to a local hospital for his injuries. Jamey Holweger was pronounced deceased inside the home. Following the incident, Larson was charged with murder, attempted murder, and reckless endangerment. However, the legal proceedings took a different turn when a mental competency evaluation was conducted. The evaluation concluded that Larson was not criminally responsible for his actions due to a severe mental illness. As a result of this finding, he was sentenced to spend the remainder of his life in a state mental institution.
