BISMARCK, N.D. – A Bismarck Police officer is back on the job after being cleared of any wrongdoing in a fatal March shooting.
Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer says officer Nathan Anderson was justified when he shot 53-year-old Melanie Udell in a homeless shelter parking lot on March 7.
Officers were called to the shelter on a report of a woman in an SUV who was having “mental issues” and appeared intoxicated. As the officers were investigating, body cam footage shows Udell tried to drive off.
Bismarck Police said, when the officers ordered her to stop and get out of the car, Udell accelerated and swerved toward the officers. After missing the first time, Udell swerved her SUV toward them again, this time hitting one of the officers.
That’s when Anderson, a six-year veteran of the force, fired his gun at the vehicle and hit Udell.
Udell died at a hospital. The officer who was hit was discharged from the hospital later that day.
Anderson was placed on standard administrative leave while the State Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigated the shooting.