FARGO, ND (KFGO) - Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley is disputing claims that law enforcement is to blame for serious injuries suffered by a New York woman who's among the thousands of people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. The woman is in a Minneapolis hospital. Her father says she will require multiple surgeries and may lose an arm. Wrigley says law enforcement is not responsible. Some protesters say the woman was hurt by an explosive used by law enforcment.
"They are people that are buying armaments around that town, things that they are trying to turn into armaments and trying to make explosives devices they are then rolling at law enforcement, said Wrigley, on KFGO News & Views with Joel Heitkamp.
"Law enforcement did not throw percussion grenades or anything along those lines, they were shooting (tear) gas canisters to try to disperse the crowd," he continued.
Wrigley says he thinks the federal government should take the lead if law enforcement is asked to move the protest camp early next month. The Corps of Engineers says it wants the camp relocated to reservation land.