Alberta police believe 'Dances With Wolves' star may have abused local victims
Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service officials are encouraging any local victims to come forward following the arrest of 46-year-old actor Nathan Lee Chasing Horse in Las Vegas on sex assault charges.
Chasing Horse, who played Sioux tribe member Smiles a Lot in the 1990 Kevin Costner film Dances with Wolves, allegedly sexually assaulted and trafficked young Indigenous girls over the period of two decades.
The offences allegedly occurred during Chasing Horse's time as a medicine man who conducted healing ceremonies and hosted spiritual gatherings.
According to Chasing Horse's arrest report from last October, RCMP in Keremeos, B.C., tipped off Las Vegas officers that Chasing Horse had been named as a sexual assault suspect in a case the RCMP were investigating.
The victim in the small southwestern B.C. community near the U.S. border filed a report in September, 2018.
The Associated Press confirmed that a tip from the public spurred an investigation in October 2022 into Chasing Horse, who is believed to be the leader of a cult known as The Circle, that led to police identifying six other alleged victims. The sexual allegations are said to have taken place in Montana, South Dakota and Nevada.
Las Vegas police work near the home of former actor Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, who goes by Nathan Chasing Horse, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in North Las Vegas, Nev. Authorities raided the home of the former actor Tuesday in connection with a sexual assault investigation. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Chasing Horse has been charged with:
- Sexual assault of a child less than 16 years old;
- Two counts of sexual assault;
- Two counts of sex trafficking of an adult; and
- Child abuse/neglect
On Wednesday, Tsuut'ina Nation police, located just west of Calgary city limits, announced they were working alongside their policing partners in Alberta, including the Calgary Police Service, as part of the stateside investigation.
"We believe there may be other victims that may want to come forward," said Tsuut'ina police officials in a statement released Wednesday. "We are further reviewing all related historical sexual assault files and working with a dedicated Crown prosecutor to ensure all victims have a voice.
"There is no statute of limitations on criminal sexual offences in Canada and we encourage anyone who has been a victim of a serious crime to report it, even if many years have passed since the incident."
The Calgary Police Service issued the following statement Wednesday afternoon regarding the arrest of Chasing Horse.
"We encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault to report it to their local police agency, and want to remind everyone that there is no statute of limitations on the reporting of a sexual assault in Canada. However, we know that not all victims will feel comfortable reporting to police, and encourage them to reach out to the resources provided by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, or locally to a community organization such as Awo Taan Healing Lodge Society, or the Aboriginal Friendship Centre here in Calgary."
Anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault or who has information regarding alleged offences involving Chasing Horse is encouraged to contact the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service at 403-251-9660 or anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.