Aunt of Prairie Heights Church Shooting Victim Speaks Out

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Police have released more information about Saturday’s fatal shooting outside a West Fargo church.

Austin Strom was an attendant here at Prairie Heights Church. His mission was to inspire others and take his path with God. But Saturday morning’s events had halted that mission.

“That was his goal in life now, you know. He had gone through some downs in life and .. And I just want to make sure that he gets the proper burial and…can rest.”

Rochelle Rech, had recently made a GoFundMe page to help her sister, Robin Strom, for funding his burial.

“The reason I made it was because I know my sister and her ex-husband do not have the funds… to bury their son. I know there’s so many people out there, who were touched by Austin and loved him so much that.”

Austin had gone through some spirals in his life, one of them dealing with his gambling addiction. He had been dealing with his addiction for nearly eight years and joined the group Gambling Choices here in Fargo. One assignment he was given called, Goodbye Gambling, was a letter to talk about his story:

“Sure, the highs aren’t as high as they were when I was gambling, and they may never be that way, However, that also means the lows aren’t as low as they were while I was gambling, and that’s a trade I will take every day of the week.”

As Austin had started getting better he attended the Prairie Heights Church and started his mission to inspire others.

“He was reading scripture in his bible the night before. He sent a text to his mom and told her how serene he was and he was reading scripture. And that was the last text his mom ever received from him. ”

Police say Strom was attempting to unlawfully enter the church when 66-year-old Kent Hodges of West Fargo confronted Strom. Police say Strom became extremely agitated and attacked Hodges. That’s when 53-year-old Donald Barron II of Moorhead witnessed the incident and tried to intervene. Strom began to advance at Barron, who fired a single gunshot. Strom was transported to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Police are declining further comment. The investigation remains open.

You can find a link to a fundraiser for Strom’s funeral here.