Vigil being held for hit-and-run victim

A candlelight vigil will be held Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Veteran Memorial Park on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation for Lacey Arkinson, a 16-year-old girl who was killed in a hit-and-run crash Dec. 12.

“I feel as though nothing is being pursued,” Arkinson’s mother, Violet Arkinson, said, adding that the vigil is being held to try to get more people involved in pursuing justice for her daughter’s death and, hopefully, get some closure for her and her family. 

“My daughter was a very hard-working student,” Arkinson said. “She was very kind and caring person, she always made sure people were good before herself. She always checked up on people and gave them words of encouragement.”

She added that her daughter had big dreams and about a week before her death said she wanted to enlist in the armed forces.

Arkinson said she has organized a number of things for the vigil, including candles and shirts in memory of her daughter which say “Justice for Lacey” and includes a picture of her.

She said the event will also include snacks and drinks.

She added that at the vigil, her brothers and cousins will sing a few round dance songs and will be setting off fireworks in honor of Lacey Arkinson.

It is important to get the youth and the community and the elders on the reservation involved so nothing like this can ever happen again, Violet Arkinson said. She added that she wants to bring the community and youth together and collaborate together as one tribe to assure everyone is safe.

She said that the vigil is open to everyone, on and off the reservation, and that it is important people know and remember what happened to her daughter that night.

Rocky Boy police responded to a call at 11:11 p.m. Dec. 12 reporting a pedestrian was struck on Laredo Road near its intersection with Upper Box Elder Road. 

The suspect vehicle fled the area before officers arrived.

Lacey Arkinson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rocky Boy police reported that the suspected vehicle was a 2015-2016 Dodge Journey and later reported they found and seized a vehicle they believe was involved in the incident.

Violet Arkinson said that people with any information about the incident should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 265-7181.