Northwest Iowa — Lyon and Sioux County authorities have now field charges in connection with drive-by shooting incidents in each jurisdiction.
The two individuals accused in the incidents, a Brandon, South Dakota woman and her teenage son, face identical charges in both counties.
Authorities say the charges stemmed from a joint investigation between the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Valley Police Department, Brandon South Dakota Police Department, Minnehaha County South Dakota Sheriff’s Office,The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities say 50-year old Artis Kattenberg faces charges of: 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief/Aiding and Abetting, a Class “D” Felony: Reckless Use of a Firearm/Aiding and Abetting, an Aggravated Misdemeanor; and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, a Misdemeanor. Her juvenile son is charged with: 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief; and Reckless Use of a Firearm. Each faces identical charges in the two Iowa counties involved in the case.
Authorities say their investigation revealed that shots had been fired into a residence in Lyon County on December 17th, and into a Sioux County residence sometime before December 25th. Authorities say nobody was home at either residence when the shooting incidents took place.
According to law enforcement officials, the victims are both members of the same church in Rock Valley, and the shootings are believed to be in retaliation for an incident that reportedly happened between Kattenberg, the juvenile, and church members.
Authorities say they believe the juvenile fired the weapon in both incidents.
In addition to the Iowa charges, Kattenberg has also been charged in South Dakota with Child Abuse, according to authorities.
Officials say the case remains under investigation.
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Original story posted January 3, 2018 – 2:28 pm
Brandon, South Dakota — Two people from Brandon, South Dakota are under investigation after the Sioux and Lyon County Sheriff’s Offices reported the shooting of at least two unoccupied homes.
According to the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, their deputies and the South Dakota Division of Investigation were asked to assist the Brandon Police Department in a weapons violation investigation. Iowa authorities were investigating a drive-by shooting in Lyon and Sioux counties in Iowa.
Authorities say the suspects, 50-year-old Artis Kattenburg and a juvenile male live together near the 1400 block of Lakota Avenue in Brandon. Both suspects were interviewed and authorities believe the juvenile had fired a weapon at the homes in Iowa. On the evening of Friday, December 29th, a search warrant was served and multiple weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition were located. The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office says that some of the weapons were fully-automatic and several were 50-caliber rifles. The Sioux Falls Police and the Sioux Falls ATF and FBI offices also assisted in the investigation.
We talked to Lyon County Chief Deputy Jerry Birkey, who gives us some details.
Birkey says the shootings are thought to have occurred during the last week of December.
He says then they found out that the shooting of the home in rural Rock Rapids may not have been an isolated incident.
Chief Deputy Birkey says the incident appears to be related to something that happened at a Sioux County church.
Birkey says it is believed that the homes belonged to leaders of some kind in the Rock Valley church. Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Officials say that it is believed that Kattenburg and the juvenile had some sort of falling out with members of the church, and they believe that’s what led to the shootings. Birkey says it’s his understanding that Kattenburg and the juvenile are mother and son.
He says that when they were pretty sure of the suspects’ identities, it was determined to act.
Birkey says that it is likely that both Lyon and Sioux County will be filing charges on both subjects.
Birkey says he’s glad the agencies were able to work together in this case.
He says the case remains under investigation. Minnehaha County officials say the suspects are in custody.
