In the pre-dawn hours of a Saturday, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of downtown Bismarck, North Dakota. On September 23, 2023, an exchange of gunfire erupted in a bar parking lot located at 115 S 5th Street. Two men were caught in the crossfire, one of whom was Victor King, a 21-year-old male from the nearby city of Mandan. The incident unfolded around 12:30 a.m., and the sound of the shots reached two Bismarck Police officers who were in the vicinity.
They responded immediately to the scene.
Upon their arrival, officers found that Victor King and another man, 35-year-old Jesus Vera-Leon of Bismarck, had sustained gunshot wounds. Both men were quickly transported to local hospitals for medical attention, but their injuries proved fatal, and both were pronounced dead. The Investigations Division of the Bismarck Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the double shooting. Authorities began the process of interviewing numerous witnesses and reviewing video footage of the incident to piece together the events that led to the deadly confrontation.
The investigation into the deaths of King and Vera-Leon is ongoing, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or announced any arrests in the case. Police have appealed to the public for assistance, asking any witnesses who have not yet spoken with law enforcement to come forward with information.
Victor King, who was born in New Jersey, had moved with his family to North Dakota in 2015. He graduated from Bismarck High School in 2020 and went on to work in the restaurant industry before finding a job in construction. He was known for his enjoyment of hunting and cherished the time he spent with his friends and family. His death added to a period of grief for his family, who had recently mourned the passing of his grandfather, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
