Alan Lussier Jr,Jesse Branch Obituary, Death; – A Red Lake tribal police officer, who was on duty, was one of two individuals who lost their lives in a traffic accident on Wednesday. The incident took place on Highway 1, east of the Red Lake community, as reported by the Red Lake Police Department.
The officer has been identified as Jesse Branch, aged 35, while the other deceased individual is Alan Lussier Jr., aged 37. The details surrounding the accident have not yet been revealed. In memory of Branch, Red Lake Tribal Chair Darrell G. Seki Sr. has directed that flags be flown at half-staff at tribal facilities and other sites.
Tina Garrison, Branch’s sister, informed the Minnesota Star Tribune that her brother had been a member of the Red Lake law enforcement since he was 18, beginning his career as a corrections officer before advancing to the role of police officer. “He was always welcoming,” Garrison remarked. “He was always willing to help, cheerful, friendly, and full of jokes.”
Garrison noted that her brother had been in a relationship for over a year, and he treated his girlfriend’s children as if they were his own. “He would do anything he could for anyone,” she added. Branch was raised in Bemidji and had a passion for rodeo, horses, and 4-H activities, according to Garrison.
“We had horses back in the day. He would ride and participate in 4-H,” she recalled. The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office extended its condolences to Branch’s family and the Red Lake Nation, as well as to the families mourning the tragic accident that occurred near Red Lake, as stated on their Facebook page.
“Officer Branch was a respected professional who cherished the community he served,” the post noted. “He had previously been a member of the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Posse and had recently joined the North Country First Responders. He was scheduled to collect his gear today.”
As night approached on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office provided an escort through Beltrami County in tribute to Branch. “Thank you for your service; we will take it from here,” the agency expressed. Numerous individuals who knew Branch took to social media to express their sorrow over his passing.
