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Josh GILCHRIST

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Classification: Homicide
Characteristics: Parricide - Juvenile (16)
Number of victims: 1
Date of murder: January 26, 2007
Date of birth: 1990
Victim profile: Betty Gilchrist, 49 (his mother)
Method of murder: Stabbing with a long sword
Location: Huron, South Dakota, USA
Status: Shot and killed by the police the same day
 
 
 
 
 
 

Josh Gilchrist (16) South Dakota boy who used a sword to kill his mother, Betty Gilchrist (49), and injured three other people including his sister, a foreign exchange student, and a police officer. Josh Gilchrist was shot and killed by the police after he struck one of the officers several times, in Huron, South Dakota on January 26, 2007.

 
 

S.D. police slay teen who likely killed mom with sword

Associated Press

Jan. 27, 2007

HURON, S.D. — Police killed a teenager who they said used a sword to kill his mother and injure three other people, including an officer.

Investigators had not determined the motive for the attacks, Chief Doug Schmitt said Friday.

"We don't have any background or any events leading up to the assault this morning that would give any indication of a motive," he said.

Officers called to the family's home Friday found 14-year-old Rebekah Gilchrist with several cuts on her lower arms and hands. The officers then spotted her brother, 16-year-old Josh Gilchrist, swinging a long sword, Schmitt said.

Schmitt said the boy struck one of the officers several times before the others fired several shots, killing him.

Police then found the body of the boy's mother, 49-year-old mom Betty Gilchrist, and an injured foreign exchange student.

Police said the boy's father, Jon Gilchrist, was not home during the attacks in the east-central South Dakota town.

Schmitt said he believes Josh Gilchrist collected swords.

Rebekah Gilchrist was taken to a hospital in Sioux Falls. The exchange student, whose name was not released, and the officer were treated at Huron Regional Medical Center and released, authorities said.

Four officers were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, standard procedure when police fire a gun.

 
 

Josh Gilchrist (16) slashed his mom to death with a medieval sword before being shot dead by police

MyDeathSpace.com

January 27, 2007

Police are trying to figure out why a sword wielding teenager killed his mother and injured three others Friday before being gunned down by officers.

"We don't have any background or any events leading up to the assault this morning that would give any indication of a motive," Huron Police Chief Doug Schmitt said Friday.

When officers arrived at the home just before 6 a.m., they found the attacker's 14-year-old sister, Rebekah Gilchrist, with several cuts to her lower arms and hands.

The officers then spotted 16-year-old Josh Gilchrist wielding a long sword that Schmitt described as "something you'd probably see in an ancient knight type movie."

Schmitt said the boy started swinging the sword and struck one of the officers several times before the others fired multiple shots and killed the attacker.

Police in the home then found the dead body of the boy's mom, 49-year-old mom Betty Gilchrist, and an injured foreign exchange student, who was treated and released from Huron Regional Medical Center.

Rebekah Gilchrist was taken to a hospital in Sioux Falls.

"To all those concerned and praying for Bekah, she is stable and improving with non life-threatening injuries," the father, Jon Gilchrist, said in a statement.

Police said Jon Gilchrist was not home during the incident.

The injured officer, Dan Kight, 34, was treated at Huron Regional Medical Center and released. Schmitt said Kight's uniform was cut by the sword.

Four officers were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation, which is standard procedure when police fire a gun.

Betty Gilchrist, a former teacher at Minneota High School in southwest Minnesota, was the children's librarian at the Huron Public Library.

Both parents have been active in the Huron Municipal Band, and Josh and Rebekah are members of the Huron High School band and orchestra.

Schmitt said he believes Josh Gilchrist was a collector of swords.

Terry Nebelsick, principal of Huron High School, said counselors and administrators met with the faculty before the start of school Friday. Many kids had already heard about the incident by the time the school made a formal announcement around 8:15 a.m.

Nebelsick said a number of students talked to counselors and pastors at the school.

 
 


Josh Gilchrist

 

 

 
 
 
 
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