UPDATE: So far, 15-20 tips have led to dead ends in fatal Wahpeton shooting

Published: Jan. 16, 2023 at 7:57 PM CST|Updated: Jan. 20, 2023 at 2:39 PM CST
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WAHPETON, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Investigators have been busy since gunfire rang out Monday night in Wahpeton which left one man dead.

Wahpeton Police say 40-year-old Jeremiah Medenwald, of Hankinson, was in the driver’s seat of a car when he was shot several times in the 1000 block of 11th St. N. Police say there was also a passenger in the car with Medenwald at the time of the shooting, but police are not naming that person at this time. The passenger has been interviewed several times, police say.

In the days since Medenwald’s death, several people in the community have stated to Valley News Live that a man living in Wahpeton is the suspect in this case. However, when asked, Wahpeton Police say that man has been interviewed and cleared of being a suspect in this case. Valley News Live is not naming the man.

Police say investigators appreciate receiving information from the community, and say since Monday night they have received between 15-20 tips. Unfortunately, Wahpeton Police say those tips have led to dead ends. Chief Matt Anderson says his investigators look into everything that comes across their desks and says the tips have helped cross off avenues they no longer need to go down. Anderson encourages anyone with information on the case to come forward.

Authorities say there are two crime scenes in this case. They say shortly after 7 p.m. on Jan. 16, officers responded to 11th St. N. in-between the high school and Sterns Arena. When officers canvassed the surrounding neighborhood, they learned that the incident began a couple blocks away at Loy Ave. and 11th St. N. Officers say they found multiple shell casings at the second location.

As of Friday afternoon, Anderson says WPD has still not identified a suspect or made an arrest, and are still in the process of putting together a timeline of the night.

Medenwald’s body has since been taken to St. Paul for an autopsy.