By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondent

Shakopee police continue to search for answers after a young woman from Savage died from injuries she sustained at a house party Saturday (Aug. 16) at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community.

Initial information gathered at the scene indicated to police that Wastewin Gonzalez, 23, was struck by a car outside a home on the 5000 block of Tinta Lane, which is located in Shakopee.

Police officers later arrested a 26-year-old Redwood Falls man in connection with the incident. He has since been released from jail without formal charges.

Authorities are awaiting further medical information to determine what caused the woman’s death. Family members told the media that she fell as she ran after the vehicle, which was fleeing gunshots from a crowd. Gonzalez was reportedly at the party following the tribal community’s annual powwow.

An official from the coroner’s office in Hastings, which serves Scott County, declined to comment because its medical report hadn’t been completed. 

Thus far, witnesses have either been uncooperative or provided conflicting accounts about what happened that morning, said Sgt. Lynn Lipinski. Police are continuing their investigation, conducting more interviews with witnesses, to try to determine what happened.

Part of what police are trying to determine is whether gunshots were, in fact, heard at the home. Police did recover a firearm later in the day at the home, but don’t know whether it’s connected to the case, Robson said.

A wake and burial service were to be held for Wastewin this week in Minneapolis.

Donations to help defray expenses may be sent to any Bremer Bank in the name of Wastewin Gonzalez Memorial Fund. More information can be found at www.caringbridge.org/visit/wastewingonzalez.

Tribal response

This is the second major incident police responded to within one week in the tribal community. 

A few days before Gonzalez died, law enforcement officers arrested two suspects for a shooting that occurred in a nearby neighborhood. 

Tribal Administrator Bill Rudnicki said the Shakopee Mdewakanton’s medical personnel assisted with the incidents and tribal authorities have cooperated fully with police.

Rudnicki said he isn’t privy to the details of the investigations, so he is unable to comment on the specifics of what took place in the incidents.

However, he said the community won’t tolerate these types of situations and the tribal government is looking at ways to beef up security on the reservation and is also considering administrative options.

“The tribe is taking actions in a somewhat prompt and forceful way within our tribal government to ensure we have the safety for our members and guests,” he said. “We want to make sure things like this don’t happen. We’re looking at every option we have available.”

 Shannon Fiecke can be reached at sfiecke@swpub.com