Ex-Mayor of South Dakota Faces Triple Murder Charges in Hometown

Former Mayor Jay Ostrem of Centerville, South Dakota, was arrested in connection to the shooting deaths of three people, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced on Tuesday.

Ostrem is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond after he allegedly shot and killed three people at a Centerville residence across the street from his home at approximately 10 p.m. on Monday.

“Jay Ostrem has been arrested and charged with three counts of First Degree Murder, and law enforcement has secured the scene,” Jackley said in a press release. “There is no further threat to the public.”

According to Jackley, the names of the victims have not been released because the families are still being notified. However, CBS News reported that the victims included two brothers, ages 26 and 21, as well as a 35-year-old man.

The outlet reported that a man called the police to report that his brother had been shot by “a guy from across the street” when the caller himself was shot and stopped talking. Ostrem was reportedly arrested with an AR-style rifle on the ground near him and a handgun on his person.

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Ostrem served as mayor of the small town with a population under 1,000 from May 2009 until November 2011, when he resigned following a federal lawsuit alleging sexual assault. He was formerly a member of law enforcement.

The case is being investigated by South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation.