Noem Warns Guard Shooter Radicalized In US
SIOUX FALLS, United States (WHN) – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem stated Wednesday that the suspect who shot a National Guard member outside a military facility was radicalized within the United States, calling the attack a clear act of domestic terror. The shooting occurred late Tuesday in Sioux Falls, and the suspect was quickly taken into custody, authorities reported.
The incident happened at approximately 9:15 p.m. local time. A lone gunman opened fire on a soldier leaving the South Dakota National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. The soldier, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
Mitchell Johnson, 28, of Sioux Falls, was arrested in connection with the shooting, the Sioux Falls Police Department confirmed. Johnson was apprehended at his residence following a brief standoff with law enforcement. He surrendered without further incident.
Governor Noem held a press conference Wednesday morning to address the attack. She was emphatic about the origins of the motive. “This was not an act of foreign terror,” Noem said. “The poison that fueled this violence was brewed right here in America on our own computer screens.”
Federal Investigation Underway
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has assumed control of the investigation. The agency is examining the case as a potential act of domestic terrorism. A search warrant executed at Johnson’s home uncovered substantial anti-government propaganda, according to a federal official familiar with the investigation.
Investigators are analyzing Johnson’s electronic devices. A preliminary review suggests extensive engagement with online extremist ideologies, the source confirmed. Noem’s office said the evidence points to the suspect being “consumed by online hate” and specifically targeting a uniformed service member as a symbol of the government.
“We are confronting an enemy that doesn’t cross our borders but grows in our own communities,” Governor Noem stated during the briefing. “They are radicalized in digital echo chambers, fed a constant stream of conspiracy and anger, and it is turning them against their own country.”
10:30 AM CST: The injured soldier was transported to Avera McKennan Hospital. A hospital spokesperson confirmed the soldier is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery. The soldier’s name is being withheld pending family notification.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota is preparing federal charges against Mitchell Johnson. The expected charges include assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Johnson has no extensive prior criminal record, according to a review of state court documents.
Noem called for a national conversation on domestic radicalization. She argued that current federal efforts are too focused on foreign threats, leaving the nation vulnerable to “homegrown” violence. The governor’s office stated she has been in contact with the Department of Homeland Security.
The attack is the first of its kind against a military facility in South Dakota in recent memory. Security protocols at all state military installations are now under an immediate and comprehensive review, a National Guard official said.
Mitchell Johnson is currently being held at the Minnehaha County Jail. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court on Thursday.
