Water Protector shot in face by cop

On the morning of January 19, 2017, the day before Trump’s inauguration, I was shot in my left eye by police at the Backwater Bridge on Highway 1806 just north of the Oceti Oyate Camp outside of Cannonball, ND. The impact from a “non-lethal bean bag round” shattered my cheek bone and orbital wall next to my eye, resulting in loss of my vision, hearing, sense of smell, taste, and touch on the left side of my face. The police officer that shot me was aiming directly at me with the intention to cause serious harm. This video was taken on January 21, after I was found in the hospital in Bismark, ND. My location or news of my injury was not released by the Morton County Sheriff’s Office or the hospital “due to security reasons,” – I believe that the police and hospital were intentionally trying to hide my injury from the public. At the hospital I was handcuffed to the bed after surgery to remove metal pellets from my eye, denied calls to my family, denied water, and kept under armed guard. After my relatives found me, I was immediately release from custody and allowed visitors. The day I was discharged from the hospital, Morton County issued a warrant for my arrest. Under legal advisement, I chose not release this video due to my warrant until I received necessary medical care and my health recovered. As my relatives and Indigenous People from across Turtle Island are traveling to march on Washington D.C., I believe that now is the time to share my story because we must not be afraid and we must share the truth about what this country is doing to Indigenous People and our precious mother water for the existence of next 7 generations. Our struggle is not over, it is just beginning. #WaterisLife #NoDAPL