Tribal councilwoman 'left for dead' in mysterious attack

Police reveal identity of victim of serious assault on 16 May as a member of a local Indigenous tribe’s governing board

Woman assaulted earlier in May named as tribal leader (iStock)

A Montana tribal leader has been revealed to be the victim of an assault, according to local police, after being “left for dead” in a hotel room.

The incident took place on 16 May and the victim has been named as Silver Little Eagle, 24, a councilwoman for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Details such as her name have only just been revealed.

On May 20, her family put out a statement detailing her injuries, saying they were “severe” and a friend established a crowdfund that gathered more than $28,000 as of Thursday.

After the attack, her family says she faced “further threats of violence, cyberbullying, defamation of character and harassment by the assailants and people in her own community.”

Immediately following the attack, authorities were notified and she was taken to the hospital. At the time of writing, no arrests or charges have been issued.

However, two women have been named as people of interest, and “are actively being sought by investigators for questioning,” according to the police

.At the time, she was not named in official documents about the assault but authorities later confirmed that Ms Little Eagle was the victim to the Great Falls Tribune, a Montana local paper.

It was noted that Ms Eagle was missing belongings, most notably her car, which was recovered by the police. A 31-year-old was also said to have been assaulted on that occasion. It is believed that the 27-year-old and the 31-year-old victim are known to each other.

Authorities said that there was “no indication that the crime was racially motivated or connected to human trafficking.” They also said they "will not be providing any further information on this investigation.”

A 2016 National Institute of Justice report uncovered that 80 per cent of Indigenous people had been met with violence.

As the story grew in momentum across Montana, fury regarding the situation grew about the quiet and slow rate of investigation. People expressed dissatisfaction at the minimal press coverage. Social media users accused Ms Little Eagle was inaccurate about the severity of her injuries.

Her father Goldstein Little Eagle refuted these online allegations, and explained why they were “hurtful”.

“She was badly beaten, and she was in the hospital. She’s resting and in recovery and healing now. Every woman that has experienced violence should be taken seriously. It’s pretty hurtful now with all the slander and gossip going on right now,” he said.

In 2020, Little Eagle won her seat on the tribal council, a landmark election that saw women being elected to the role of president, Vice President and five other council seats.