ONIGUM — Hauling in posters dampened by rain, the Oothoudt family and their friends gathered at the Onigum Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 16, as they prepared to lay to rest one of their own.
The posters were large, printed pictures of 17-year-old Dylon Oothoudt, who was found dead from a gunshot wound in a Cass Lake yard Sunday. Dylon’s posters were brought to the Onigum center after being featured during a vigil Tuesday night in Cass Lake.
Dylon’s cousin and legal guardian, 27-year-old Monica Oothoudt, described the vigil as a night for all victims and survivors of gun violence. She estimated at least 200 people attended.
“It's not just the community leaders, it's all of us: our families and everybody. Something needs to change, and I know we all don't have the answer for that right now, but coming together I think would be a big thing,” she said. “We all need to come together and figure this out.”
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is investigating Dylon’s death. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office completed the autopsy, ruling the death a homicide by a gunshot wound.
Monica described her cousin as a young man who was good to his family and friends, did his chores before being asked, and who never forgot to say, “drive safe” or “I love you.”
“He was a really gentle soul, and he cared for the children, the little ones, and he cared for the elderly, and he loved his family to the heart,” she said. “He played football, basketball, he boxed, he did numerous things. He was a really good boy.”
Dylon’s great aunt Jean Beaulieu said Dylon was one of few nephews who took the time to visit and check in with her. The last time she saw him was the Onigum powwow.
“I talked with him a little bit and I said, ‘You be safe now and take care.’ [He said], ‘I will,’” Beaulieu said emotionally. “That was the last time I talked to him. But he was one of my nephews that was very special to me.”
Dylon’s elder sister, 23-year-old Rosa Oothoudt, said their mother died in 2019, and his father died a few years before. Dylon had been living with another relative since his mother’s death but was placed with his cousin Monica a few months ago. He was ready to begin his senior year at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School.
Rosa said her brother’s death doesn’t seem real. She described him as “too precious for this world.”
“We had another friend, cousin, that had passed [away] and it was tough for all of us and was about the same age as my little brother's friend group now,” she said. “We never thought this would happen to our family.”
Rosa said she feels overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community.
"At the candlelight [vigil] last night, I wasn't going to say anything, but out of nowhere, I just felt like the courage to find me like, I don't know, almost as if he was like holding my hand speaking for him,” she said. “I never speak at anything like this. I don't speak anywhere.”
Monica urged the community to allow the investigators to do their work, and to report any information to the proper authorities.
"If anyone has any information, they need to come forward,” she said. “No information is too little. If you see anything, hear anything, just anything. Please reach out to the investigators.”
The Oothoudt family will host Dylon’s funeral services at the Ongiigum Community Center at a to-be-determined date. A fundraiser to support the family is under construction.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public if they have information relevant to this case, to contact theOffice at 218-547 1424 or 1-800-450-2677.
You can also contact the Minnesota Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-222-8477 or online at crimestoppersmn.org.
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