Investigation into death of Native basketball player
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Filed Under:
National
|
Sports
Authorities in Montana are investigating the death of A.J. LongSoldier, who was a standout basketball player, The Great Falls Tribune reports.
LongSoldier, 18, was being housed at the Hill County Jail after being arrested on a contempt of court warrant. He requested medical attention on Sunday night and was taken to a hospital, where he died on Monday morning, the county sheriff said.
As a freshman, LongSoldier led
Hays-Lodgepole High School, on the
Fort Belknap Reservation, to a third place finish in the state championships. The next year, he led the team to win the title.
LongSoldier transferred to another school on the reservation in his junior year but didn't play. He graduated this past May and was a freshman at
Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas. He had returned to Montana to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Joseph Bear.
LongSoldier's mother, Dayna Bear, is a community health representative for the Fort Belknap Tribe. His father, Allen LongSoldier Sr., is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
Get the Story:
Basketball 'phenom' dies after stay in jail
(The Great Falls Tribune 11/24)
Copyright © Indianz.Com
Subscribe