A Man Accused Of Shooting a Grafton Police Officer Faces Federal Charges

A trial date has unofficially been set for November third.

GRAND FORKS. N.D. – On August 14, Grafton Police officers and Walsh County Deputies were attempting to arrest 37-year-old Ruben Cruz of Bottineau, North Dakota on a federal warrant.

“The defendant in this case had been charged with being a drug dealer by a federal court in South Dakota,” says U.S. Attorney for North Dakota Drew Wrigley .

Cruz fled on foot while officers were attempting to arrest him.

Court documents say while fleeing he began firing at law enforcement, hitting Officer Lucas Campoverde in the chest.

“Chief Dumas told me last Friday when I was in Grafton that it was the first time in Grafton history that there has been an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement,” Wrigley said.

Cruz faces three additional federal charges.

“Two involve allegations of his work and conspiracy of his drug dealing and the third is using the firearm. Both possessing, brandishing and using that firearm in furtherance of his drug crime,” Wrigley said.

Officials say it’s been a long three months for the men and women in uniform.

“We’ve had riots in downtown Fargo, where men and women in uniform were pelted with bottles, with rocks, insults, anything that you picked up on the street. We had officer Holte murdered in the line of duty. Deputy Nord injured in the line of duty, and now this,” Wrigley adds.

If convicted Cruz faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years in prison.