GRAND FORKS - By the time the escort for the body of Rolette County Sheriff’s Deputy Colt Allery reached Grand Forks Thursday, Jan. 19, it stretched for what looked like a half-mile of ashen-faced drivers in squad car after squad car, blue and red lights flashing on an overcast morning.
Law enforcement from around North Dakota and beyond -- from Polk County, Minn., to the U.S. Border Patrol -- joined a procession for Allery as he was brought to medical examiners in Grand Forks. Allery was fatally shot following a car chase in North Dakota’s Rolette County on Wednesday evening.
Area officials had already lined up their cars by the time the procession arrived, and as it rolled past, Cpl. Jason Kaiser of the Grand Forks Police Honor Guard raised a white-gloved hand to the brim of his hat, stock still at attention the entire time. When you go to work, he said moments before, you never know when something tragic might happen.
Allery, 29, was killed during a shootout with the driver of a 2015 Chevy Silverado pickup that had been reported stolen. A vehicle chase led Allery and three other officers near Belcourt, N.D. where both he and the driver of the pickup, who has not been identified, were killed. Earlier reports stated that both Allery and the driver were being transported to Grand Forks for autopsies.
Rolette County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Benning described an emotional drive to Grand Forks, recalling constant support along the way.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I got choked up with every flag, with every salute,” Benning said. “Every town we passed through, there was a firetruck.”
Though Allery had only served with the sheriff’s department for three months, he made an impression on Benning. He was always smiling, Benning said, a “family guy” who loved his children.
“Every time you saw him, it was ‘Hey brother, what’s going on?’ ” Benning said.
Allery had previously worked for the Rolla Police Department. Rolla Police Chief Joe Boehm said it was a stressful day, though he was happy to see so much support for the fallen deputy.
“He was a good guy,” Boehm said. “He made everybody laugh.”
