Rapid City race relations remain unchanged since August 2nd - KOTA Territory News

Rapid City race relations remain unchanged since August 2nd

August 2nd changed most of our lives forever, but how did it change race relations in Rapid City?

Jesse Abernathy, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Editor of the Native Sun News, says he thinks the tragedy on August 2nd halted any progress they city has made as a whole to improve race relations. Abernathy says this isn't a Rapid City problem, but a worldwide problem. But there can be positive change that comes from this tragedy.

"If there's any way of looking at that positively, that would be a focal point for us to start moving forward toward improving race relations in Rapid City," said Abernathy.

Rapid City Police Chief Steve Allender agrees race relations have remained unchanged since a year ago. But he says it's not a problem any one of us can fix alone.

"I don't know what the prognosis is for race relations. I wish it were different. But there's only so much I can do or so much any one citizen can do to make those things change," said Chief Allender.