Austin Strom West Fargo Church Member Death – Members of the Prairie Heights Community Church in West Fargo are mourning the loss of 25-year-old Austin Strom, a fellow member of the church.
Strom was shot and killed Saturday morning in the parking lot of the church.
On Sunday morning, church Pastor Beth Nelson took time during the service to say a prayer for Strom and his family. Pastor Nelson said many people in the church knew Strom, adding that he was a greeter at the front door many Sunday mornings. Pastor Nelson says many who would walk into the church on a Sunday morning, would get a high five, or a handshake from Strom.
Police say the shooting started with an altercation between 3 people. Prairie Heights was closed at the time of the shooting, but their parking lot, where the shooting happened, was blocked off with caution tape for much of Saturday morning.
“I woke up this morning with no idea what the day had in store— but as we find out more details of the incident that happened in the Prairie Heights Community Church parking lot; I am so very heartbroken to share that the individual who was shot, died.” Pastor Nelson said in a Facebook post.
Click here for Austin Strom GoFundMe
Since Saturday’s shooting, several people have taken to social media to share their memories with Strom. The support for the Strom’s includes an online GoFundMe fundraiser, to help ease funeral expenses. On the page, Strom’s aunt writes, “His life was taken on the morning of August 17th, 2024, at the parking lot of the church he attended. He was only 25 years old and devoted his life to God recently and was changing his life for the better.”
The suspect(s) in Saturday’s shooting has yet to be identified.