Alleged shooter charged with attempted murder in Dickinson

• Michael Pope

Michael Pope

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A judge ordered a recent Dickinson transplant accused of attempted murder to pay a $20,000 cash bond during a hearing at the Stark County Courthouse on Monday afternoon.

Michael Pope, 22, is accused of shooting Darren Obrigewitch, his 21-year-old co-worker, outside his mobile home on Fifth Avenue Southeast on Friday evening.

Stark County State’s Attorney Tom Henning said Obrigewitch is hospitalized in stable condition.

“But (he) had at least two bullets in his chest, one that went through and one which apparently is still lodged there — apparently among other injuries,” he said.

Obrigewitch is in the intensive care unit at Medcenter One in Bismarck, hospital staff said.

The incident began as an altercation and ended when Pope allegedly shot Obrigewitch with a handgun, according a Dickinson Police Department press release issued Saturday.

Pope and Obrigewitch are acquaintances and alcohol was involved, according to the DPD.

“He’s pleading not guilty,” Thomas Murtha, Pope’s attorney, said at the hearing.

Pope is working for a construction company that wants to keep him employed, Murtha said.

“He can kind of pay his way, but there’s no way in the world he can come up with $20,000 — it’s completely out of his reach,” he said.

Murtha and Henning said Pope does not have a “significant” criminal history.

“He’s not a threat to the community at all,” Murtha said.

However, Henning recommended the $20,000 bond in part because police are still investigating.

“I’m just concerned about the community’s safety and the significant injuries to the victim in this case,” he said. “Regardless of how good his defense is, I have a very strong case.”

Judge Zane Anderson agreed $20,000 was fitting.

“The reason for the court’s decision is the serious nature of the offense charged (and) the fact that he doesn’t have a real connection as far as living here in this community,” he said.

Pope’s neighbor, who identified himself only as Tony B., said Saturday that the incident occurred after Obrigewitch physically assaulted Pope prior to being at Pope’s residence.

“All I know is the guy came over here, broke the windows out of the vehicle, started swinging at the door, and Mikey pulled the gun and shot him,” Tony B. said. “He just came over here going crazy and the guy shot him five times.”

DPD Capt. Joe Cianni said Monday that Pope “showed some signs of being assaulted.”

However, Cianni would not say who assaulted Pope and wouldn’t confirm or deny Tony B.’s statements.

There were windows broken on a vehicle outside Pope’s home, Cianni said.

Attempted murder is a Class A felony, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

If convicted, Pope faces at least two years in jail because he used a weapon, Anderson said at the hearing.

Tags: attempted murder, news, local, dickinson