Tragic Shooting in Minot Claims Life of North Dakota National Guard Airman

U.S. Airman Master Sgt. Nicholas Van Pelt, a 41-year-old member of the North Dakota National Guard’s 119th Wing, was shot and killed on Christmas Eve in Minot. His residence in southwest Minot was the scene of the gunshot that occurred at about 8:45 p.m. on December 24. In 2001, Van Pelt—a native of Ringold, Georgia—enlisted in the Air Force. Joining the North Dakota Air National Guard in 2009, he was stationed at Minot Air Force Base with the 219th Security Forces Squadron. Before committing full-time to the 219th, Van Pelt...