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‘No threat at that point’: Mother of man fatally shot outside church speaks out without charges – InForum

‘No threat at that point’: Mother of man fatally shot outside church speaks out without charges – InForum

WEST FARGO — A mother is speaking out after prosecutors declined to charge the man who fatally shot her son outside a West Fargo church.

Robin Strom says three videos used by prosecutors

Their decision not to press charges against the man who fired the fatal shot makes clear that the gunman had other options that morning.

He said the videos were inconclusive, but helped the family of 25-year-old Austin Strom understand what happened.

He said he watched them several times with other family members.

After receiving verbal updates from police and prosecutors throughout the investigation, the family asked to be seen to better understand what happened outside Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo on the morning of Aug. 17, he said.

“After watching the videos, it became even harder to know that there were no charges,” Robin Strom said. “It’s still pretty rough and pretty raw; it’s been hard to heal, but we’re working on it.”

Man in burnt orange Patagonia long-sleeve shirt poses for photo on backyard deck.

Austin Strom.

Contributor / Robin Strom

Adding to the pain was prosecutors’ decision not to charge Don Barron Jr., 53, who shot and killed his son. Barron is a West Fargo High School driver education teacher.

Dashcam video from Barron’s car that morning shows Strom attacking church member Kent Hodges, 66, outside the front door of Prairie Heights Church, 319 32nd Street E. The first attack started with Hodges trying to stop Strom’s possible attacks. He tries to use a rock to enter the church.

The attack stopped for a while, then Austin Strom attacked Hodges again, prosecutors said. They said Austin Strom was having a mental breakdown.

“He wasn’t a violent person, so it’s very hard to know exactly why all of this happened,” Robin Strom said.

Barron rushed over to see what was going on. When he arrived, Austin Strom and Hodges were no longer in a physical altercation and were talking on the sidewalk.

“There was no threat at the time and the fight was over when he (Barron) arrived. He chose to intervene,” Robin Strom said.

“He didn’t even call 911, he didn’t even try to de-escalate the situation or talk to my son, he just got out of his car with the gun loaded and immediately walked over to my son, which was alarming.” in question.

Crime scene tape stretches across the foreground of a modern multi-story building. Four men, one in a police uniform, stand on the sidewalk in front of the building.

Police officers work at the scene of a shooting at Prairie Heights Community Church in West Fargo on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024.

David Samson / Forum

For about two minutes on camera, Barron ordered Strom to lie on the ground, prosecutors said. Strom eventually advanced on Barron and threatened to shoot Austin Strom if Barron did not stop.

“He had every opportunity to shoot her elsewhere, but he decided to shoot her straight through the heart with a fatal shot, which is something I can never bear to see or hear,” Robin Strom said.

Barron called 911 after the attack but made no statement to police. Prosecutors said Barron had both a self-defense claim and a defense of others claim he could use at trial, so they decided not to file charges.

Robin Strom said this sends a dangerous message.

“It’s okay to be able to walk up to someone who is unarmed and shoot them,” he said.

When asked what’s next for her, Robin Strom said she’s trying to accept that her son won’t be coming home for now.

She said she will continue to be a voice for her son, to promote peace and love and not hate, that her son is a kind, loving soul and that what happened shows what real mental health issues are like in the country.

Matt Henson is WDAY’s Emmy-winning reporter/photographer/editor. Prior to joining WDAY in 2019, Matt was the anchor anchor for WDAZ in Grand Forks for four years.