Dewayne Michael Lewis, a 15-year-old Native American male, was a student at Red Lake High School and known as an outgoing athlete who enjoyed playing basketball and was a traditional grass dancer at powwows. His life was tragically cut short on March 21, 2005, during a school shooting on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota. The perpetrator was 16-year-old student Jeff Weise, who had a troubled history.
On that tragic day, Weise began his rampage at his grandfather's home, where
he killed his grandfather, Daryl Lussier, a tribal police officer, and his grandfather's companion. He then took his grandfather's police vehicle and weapons and drove to Red Lake High School. Upon arriving at the school, Weise shot and killed an unarmed security guard at the entrance before proceeding inside. He then entered a classroom where he opened fire, killing a teacher and five students, including Dewayne Michael Lewis. The shooting spree ended when Weise exchanged gunfire with police and then took his own life.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an investigation was launched to determine if Weise had acted alone. The investigation led to the arrest of another student, Louis Jourdain, the son of the Red Lake tribal chairman. Jourdain was initially charged with conspiracy to commit murder, based on email and instant message exchanges with Weise that discussed plans for an attack. However, the conspiracy charge was later dropped. Jourdain ultimately pleaded guilty to transmitting threatening messages through the internet. Due to his status as a juvenile, the details of his sentencing were not publicly disclosed. The shooter, Jeff Weise, was the sole person who carried out the killings, and no other individuals were ultimately charged with direct involvement in the massacre.
