Ferguson headed to District Court for felony manslaughter, firearm charges

    County Judge Edward Steenburg bound over an Imperial 20-year-old to Chase County District Court on two felony charges.
    Tristan Ferguson will now face District Judge Patrick Heng on the manslaughter and firearm possession felonies he faces in the November 2022 death of 19-year-old Jesse Krausnick.
    After listening to testimony April 12 from attorneys on both sides, Judge Steenburg said the state had met its burden of proof in the case.
    He told Ferguson he’ll next be arraigned in District Court, then scheduled for trial before Judge Heng.
    Both County Attorney Joel Burke and Ferguson’s attorney Michael Wilson of Omaha questioned the one witness at the public hearing, State Patrol Lead Investigator Jared Connelly of North Platte.
    Connelly said he first arrived at the scene of the incident at 126 West 12th Street at 3:58 a.m. CT, a few hours after the Nov. 24 shooting.
    Krausnick died after the shooting at Chase County Community Hospital.
    Connelly was first briefed in Imperial by Police Sgt. Chad Ostmeyer, and then brought in four other State Patrol investigators on his team.
    Connelly said the investigators gained permission from Ferguson to enter the home in which Ferguson and Kaden Schilke lived. Ferguson was later interviewed at the police department.
    In the interview, Connelly said Ferguson confessed to the accidental shooting of Krausnick. He said there were five other individuals in the home at the time, “just drinking, talking and watching TV.”
    In their investigation, Connelly said Ferguson admitted to picking up the shotgun by the front door, pointed it at Krausnick and “pulled the trigger.”
    Ferguson told the officer he didn’t believe it was loaded at the time.
    Co. Attorney Burke asked if there were any altercations or arguments between Ferguson and Krausnick.
    “We did not uncover anything like that,” Connelly said.
    Connelly said they estimated there was about 3-5 feet between Ferguson and Krausnick when the gun discharged.
    Alcohol was involved, the investigator said.
    On Burke’s questioning, Connelly said none of those in the home were of legal age to drink, and the alcohol was purchased by Ferguson at Kwik Stop with a fake ID card.
    Others interviewed in the investigation by State Patrol included Brock Leibhart, Nevayah Hust (Jones), Allison Rippe, Shalissa Bigham and Schilke.
    The investigator’s report indicates Schilke, Leibhart and Hust (Jones) were in the room during the shooting.
    In the State Patrol’s interview with Bigham, she alleged Ferguson had pulled a gun a few days earlier “was angry and threw the gun around the room.”
    Connelly said their investigation was consistent with Ferguson’s story and was not premeditated.
    The autopsy performed at Western Pathology Consultants concluded Krausnick died of a shotgun wound to the neck.
    In White’s cross examination, Connelly said they gained witness statements from Leibhart and Schilke, both of whom were in the room during the shooting.
    From the interviews, White asked if the group of friends ever indicated they were “in jest” with one another. Connelly said yes, one of which was Leibhart.
    “He told me Tristan played with guns like they were toys,” Connelly said.
    The investigator added that no one on the scene that night believed malice was involved in the shooting.
    Citing other cases and some ambiguity in state law, White said there was no criminal intent involved in the shooting.
    In response, Burke said the evidence is overwhelming that Ferguson picked up the gun, “aimed it and pulled the trigger,” saying it was reckless and believed the manslaughter charge should stand.
    Judge Steenburg agreed and bound over the case on the two felony charges and continued Ferguson’s $100,000 bond. Ferguson posted the required $10,000 the day after the shooting and was released Nov. 25.