Family Demands Justice After Golf Course Owner Gary Shampeny Allegedly Assaults 15-Year-Old Native American Boy LJ at Lake Hills Golf Club in Billings, Montana

 

The family of a 15-year-old Native American boy identified as LJ Chíischipaalíash, also known as LJ Takes Horse, is demanding justice after the owner of Lake Hills Golf Course in Billings, Montana allegedly carried out a racially motivated physical assault on the teenager on Independence Day, before fleeing the scene.

According to a detailed account shared by LJ's grandmother Linda on social media, the incident began when LJ, who had saved up money from his very first paycheck from his first job, decided to treat himself and his cousins to a round of golf — his first time ever playing the sport. During the outing, LJ removed his shirt while searching for money he had lost on the course. A man identified as Gary Shampeny, the owner of the golf club, approached in a golf cart and repeatedly told LJ to put his shirt back on. When LJ, distracted by searching for his lost money, did not immediately comply, the situation escalated violently.

Linda recounted that Shampeny proceeded to ram LJ with the golf cart more than five times, grabbed the teenager by his braid and yanked it hard enough to pull out hair and rip out his earring, and directed a deeply racist statement at the boy, saying "We don't like your kind here." LJ's leg was injured when he was knocked into the golf cart during one of the repeated collisions. Despite the provocation, LJ's family noted with pride that he showed remarkable restraint, stopping himself from retaliating further out of respect.

When LJ rushed to the clubhouse to report the assault, staff members were reportedly embarrassed by the owner's behavior. Shampeny was observed walking past the family, smelling of alcohol and expressing indifference to the situation, before leaving the premises entirely ahead of the arrival of Billings Police.

LJ's uncle, identified as Uncle Ben Please, also took to social media to characterize the incident as a hate crime, calling for both Shampeny and his business to be held fully accountable. He noted that LJ had been told explicitly that his kind was not welcome, and described the physical assault in detail, including the repeated strikes with the motor vehicle.

Billings Police arrived at the scene, conducted a search for Shampeny, and confirmed that charges had been filed. Authorities indicated they would seek a warrant for his arrest given that he had already left the scene by the time officers arrived.

The family has rallied around LJ, expressing pride in how he conducted himself under extreme provocation while simultaneously calling on the broader community to stand against the racism and violence directed at their child on a day meant to celebrate American freedom and independence.