On a Sunday evening in Williston, North Dakota, the life of 19-year-old Matthew York, a Caucasian male, was cut short by gunfire. The fatal encounter took place on November 10, 2019, behind a local Cash Wise grocery store. At approximately 8:30 p.m., police responded to reports of gunshots and discovered two victims. Matthew York was pronounced dead at the scene, while another 19-year-old, Parker Haider, was found critically injured.
A witness at the scene reported hearing what sounded
like firecrackers and then saw a man fleeing the area. Soon after, the witness heard yelling and went to provide aid to the victims until first responders could arrive. The investigation quickly led police to a suspect, and in the early morning hours of the following day, a 17-year-old male was taken into custody in connection with the shooting. He was initially held on possible murder charges.
The suspect was later identified as Ian Zachary Laboyd. He was charged with the murder of Matthew York, the attempted murder of Parker Haider, as well as possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence, and delivery of a controlled substance. During a preliminary hearing in January 2020, details emerged about the events that may have led to the deadly shooting. A detective testified that a witness and surveillance footage from a nearby Taco John's helped to identify Laboyd as the suspect and locate the firearm used in the incident. Furthermore, a female acquaintance of Laboyd's told officers that he had admitted to her that he had shot someone.
The defense for Laboyd argued that he had acted in self-defense. They claimed that a prior incident had occurred between Laboyd and York, during which Laboyd allegedly struck York and stole some of his acid pills. This, the defense argued, led York to plan an assault against Laboyd. The defense also pointed out that a. 45 caliber handgun was found in York's vehicle following a search, although its ownership was undetermined. Despite the self-defense claim, the judge found that there was probable cause for all five charges against Laboyd, and he pleaded not guilty.
