A Minot man charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon was acquitted by Ward County jury on Thursday.

Testimony in the trial began on Tuesday. State prosecutors had charged Ian. W. Abrahamson, 24, Minot, in the shooting death of Davis Eby Smith, 34, in the evening of Oct. 9, 2023.

According to court documents, the shooting was preceded by an altercation between Abrahamson and Smith in the garage of his home in northwest Minot. Smith refused to leave, and Abrahamson admitted to striking him in the face with a handgun according to the affidavit of probable cause. Court documents indicate Smith left the garage and returned with a friend, and Abrahamson told investigators he was in his home when he heard yelling and pounding noises outside his residence. Abrahamson told investigators he went outside after the noises subsided and saw Smith approaching him in an aggressive manner. Abrahamson fired his weapon once when Smith was about a foot away, with the shot striking him in the abdomen.

Abrahamson waited for law enforcement at the scene and provided a statement claiming the shooting was in self defense. Smith was transported to a Minot hospital for treatment but succumbed to his injury.

Abrahamson gave multiple interviews to law enforcement in the months that followed and was arrested and charged in January. The case was handed over to the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office due to a conflict of interest at the Ward County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Abrahamson faced up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if he had been found guilty. The case was prosecuted by Jeremy Ensrud with the AG’s office. Abrahamson’s attorney Ashley Gulke presented a defense anchored by his initial self defense claim and said closing arguments were presented on Wednesday.

According to Gulke, the jury deliberated for a few hours on Wednesday afternoon but was released due to the inclement winter weather. The jury resumed deliberations Thursday morning and returned after four hours with not guilty verdicts for both charges.

“The jury did their job. They examined the facts. They reviewed all of the state’s videos and exhibits. They heard the testimony. They came back with a unanimous verdict of not guilty on all counts,” Gulke said.