In the fall of 2023, a violent encounter at a residence in Minot, North Dakota, ended the life of Ansu Kamara, a 29-year-old White male. The shooting left a community seeking answers and a suspect on the run for months.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023. According to a report from Kamara's roommate, Kamara had been shot and was barely breathing.
Doorbell camera footage later revealed the sequence of events: as Kamara entered the residence, a man ran toward him with a gun. The assailant ran into the closed door before firing a shot through the door's window and fleeing the scene. Kamara sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound to the head and was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. He fought for his life for a week before succumbing to his injuries on November 24, 2023.
The Minot Police Department launched an investigation, treating the shooting as an isolated incident. Using still images from the doorbell camera footage, officers circulated the suspect's picture among law enforcement personnel and other witnesses, who identified him as Quantdre Octavious Mersier, a 30-year-old man also from Minot. Police issued an arrest warrant for Mersier on a charge of attempted murder on November 20. After Kamara’s death, the charge was upgraded to Class AA felony murder.
Mersier remained a fugitive for several months, prompting a multi-state search. Law enforcement cautioned the public not to approach him. The manhunt concluded on April 4, 2024, when he was located and arrested without incident in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by the Fort Wayne Police Department with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Service. Mersier was then extradited back to North Dakota to face the murder charge.
Initially, in February 2025, Mersier pleaded not guilty. However, in May 2025, he changed his plea to guilty as part of an agreement with Ward County prosecutors. During legal proceedings, his defense stated that he was under the influence at the time of the dispute. The prosecution noted that an initial 25-year sentence was reduced by two years after Mersier agreed to provide investigators with information about other criminal cases.
On October 24, 2025, a judge sentenced Quantdre Mersier for the murder of Ansu Kamara. He received a 50-year prison term with all but 23 years suspended. Upon his release, he will serve five years of supervised probation. Before the sentence was handed down, Mersier addressed the court, apologized, and said he took responsibility for his actions. This sentencing concluded the case as of October 2025.
