Full Breakdown
Deputy Katherine Frank’s Fatal Shooting and Community Memorial
By Drooid · · How we work
Fatal Shooting and Public Memorial
A Minnehaha County sheriff’s deputy was critically wounded during a confrontation at a Sioux Falls home on a Friday night. She succumbed to her injuries the following Monday after three days in intensive care. The next day, a public memorial was held at the county Law Enforcement Center, drawing hundreds of colleagues, friends, and family who laid flowers, balloons, and personal notes on a sheriff’s vehicle.
Background and Service Record
The deputy, 26 years old, had served a little over two years with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, joining in June 2024 after working as a corrections officer at the South Dakota State Penitentiary beginning in September 2022. She was the first Minnehaha County deputy to die in the line of duty in more than a century. The suspect, Brandon John Oetken, 39, of Sioux Falls, was arrested at the scene and later charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law-enforcement officer and three counts of aggravated assault on a law-enforcement officer. He remains in custody without bond.
Official Statements & Responses
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued a statement mourning the loss and pledging a public report on the use-of-force investigation within 30 days. The sheriff’s office also announced that the deputy became an organ donor, extending her service to others after death.
Public Response and Fundraising
Colleagues highlighted her kindness, generosity, and “peacemaker” spirit. A GoFundMe campaign organized by the Minnehaha County Deputies Association has raised nearly $50,000 to support her family, which includes five siblings, grandparents, a boyfriend, and two dogs.
Verbatim Quotes
- “She always brought you up when you were down,” — Scott Schlagel, fellow deputy
- “We mourn the loss of Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Deputy Katherine Frank, who sacrificed everything in the line of duty to keep us safe. Let us never forget her courage and the service of all of our law enforcement officers. Deputy Frank and her family remain in our prayers,” — Marty Jackley, South Dakota Attorney General