News Briefs: Baby shower ends with stabbing

Editor's note: The following is a collection of news briefs from Forum Communication Company newspapers in Minnesota and North Dakota.

MINNESOTA

Baby shower ends with stabbing

MOORHEAD, Minn. – A scuffle in a church parking early Sunday morning led to a knife attack, police say.

Shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, police responded to reports of a fight at First Congregational Church at 406 8th St. S. The church had been rented for a private baby shower, and a group of uninvited males were denied entry by the hosts shortly before the party ended.

As the party wrapped up, the men who weren’t let in got into a verbal confrontation in the parking lot with some of the partygoers. Both groups had been drinking.

The confrontation escalated, and Christopher Gray, 24, of Fargo, allegedly stabbed Stanford Kori Avorklya, 27, of Spring Lake Park, Minn., in the back with a knife.

Avorklya was taken to Essentia Health, where he was in stable condition. Gray was arrested and taken to the Clay County jail. He’s expected to face felony assault charges.

Birthmont Nenis Pajibo, 27, of West Fargo, N.D., also was arrested, pending lesser assault charges.

Non-profit plans staff cuts

VIRGINIA, Minn. -- Layoffs are pending at an Iron Range nonprofit that helps battered individuals and their children.

Virginia-based Range Women’s Advocates has to lay off four of its eight workers after it failed to win a five-year, $500,000 state grant. In addition, one employee is retiring, meaning the group will have three paid workers.

The money would have paid general operating expenses.

The nonprofit advocacy organization works to meet the needs of battered individuals and their children through advocacy, prevention and education. It serves northern St. Louis County. The group provided 1,497 services to 753 people from Jan. 1 through July 31, according to the nonprofit’s board chairman.

NORTH DAKOTA

Man struck by train dies

FARGO – A man struck by a train Thursday died of his injuries Sunday.

Robert Lamar Brown, who had no permanent address, was hit near the 4200 block of Main Avenue on Thursday. He appeared to be lying across the tracks at the time.

He had been hospitalized with head and torso injuries since then.

Man dies in weather-related crash

HAGUE, N.D. -- An Illinois driver died Friday when his vehicle rolled and he was ejected, the North Dakota Highway Patrol reported Sunday.

Thomas Mcfall, 55, Cary, Ill., was westbound on N.D. Highway 11 headed to Hague for a hunting trip, when the accident happened at 6:38 p.m., the patrol said.

The patrol said the roadway was icy due to light rain and snow. The 1998 Ford Explorer that Mcfall was driving left the roadway, entered the north ditch and rolled several times. Mcfall was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene, the patrol said.

His passenger, Stephen Peppa, 50, Barrington, Ill., was transported to Ashley Medical Center by the Ashley ambulance service.

Mcfall was wearing not wearing a seat belt; Peppa was wearing a seat belt.

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