CANNON BALL, ND (KFGO) - The North Dakota Highway Patrol says law enforcement officers were not responsible for injuries sustained by a New York woman who nearly lost an arm in an explosion during a pipeline protest.
“We are aware of the information about the woman on social media who has claimed she sustained injuries to her arm due to law enforcement tactics. The injuries sustained are inconsistent with any resources utilized by law enforcement and are not a direct result of any tools or weapons used by law enforcement” according to North Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Tom Iverson. “This incident remains under investigation by the North Dakota BCI and ATF. Additional details will be released as the investigation progresses.”
Wayne Wilansky says his daughter, 21-year-old Sophia Wilansky, told him that she saw a law enforcement officer throw a grenade at her that exploded. Willansky claims that officers were trying to "intentionally damage people" and to "hurt people on purpose."
Iverson says after repeated orders to come out from behind a barricade, "the subjects were given opportunities to retreat back, but it became obvious that they were tampering with a vehicle or planting a device” Iverson said. “Their strange mannerisms led law enforcement to believe they were there for a purpose with a calculated effort to either cause harm or breach the line.”
Officers found propane cylinders, including one that appeared to be intentionally punctured and other debris in the area. They also found large rocks and glass jars consistent with the design of Molotov cocktails.
The incident happened around 3 am Monday near the Backwater Bridge.