Undated (KELO AM) - The Associated Press in South Dakota has released its 2015 list of top stories, headlined by a murder-suicide that rocked the community of Platte and sparked an investigation into the state’s handling of the Gear UP program.
It’s believed that Scott Westerhuis set his family’s home on fire, shot his wife and children, and then turned the shotgun on himself back in September. Just hours before the incident his employer found out they were losing a four million dollar government contract to run a program aimed at helping Native American students get into college due to questions regarding the handling of funds for the program. The investigation into the tragedy turned up more questions than answers, including why a 40 second phone call was placed from the family’s landline phone to a cell phone registered to Scott’s wife just before the house went up in flames. There’s also questions regarding a family safe that was supposedly removed from the house just before the fire.
A September tragedy also rocked the community of Harrisburg when High School Principal Kevin Lein was shot by a student in his office. Mason Buhl allegedly shot Lein in the arm during a disagreement in the Principals office just before classes began. Buhl the fled the office but was tackled by Harrisburg activates director Joey Struwe, who held him down until officers arrived. Lein was treated and released from the hospital that day and returned to work the next day with his arm in a sling. Buhl is being held without bond while he awaits trial on charges of attempted murder. Struwe has been hailed as a hero for preventing further tragedy in the incident.
Other stories mentioned in the AP’s list include President Barack Obama’s address to the 2015 graduates of Lake Area Tech in Watertown, 2014 US Senate candidate Annette Bosworth being found guilty of election fraud, the Mother’s Day tornado that struck Delmont, and the challenge to the SDHSAA’s policy on transgendered student-athletes.