UPDATE 7/11: The Alaska State Trooper who discharged their firearm during this incident is identified as:
- Trooper Gabriel Holmann, a one-year veteran of the Alaska State Troopers
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is continuing its thorough investigation into this incident. It will then be referred to the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions for review.
UPDATE 7/8/24 2:30 pm: The deceased adult male is identified as 67-year-old Soldotna resident Kirk Medak. Next of kin have been notified.
Original Story:
Alaska State Troopers were involved in a deadly shooting in Kasilof early Monday morning, July 8.
According to the Department of Public Safety dispatch on the incident, Troopers were notified that a man was threatening to kill people with a sword on South Kasilof Beach at around 12:19 am Monday morning. The dispatch states, “State Troopers and Wildlife Troopers responded to the area and located the man near several tents.”
Two Troopers initially arrived on the scene to find “a man brandishing a harpoon,” who then “charged at the Trooper’s marked patrol vehicle.” The harpoon brandished by the assailant was made of metal and approximately 7 feet long with a pointed tip similar to those used for deep-sea halibut fishing.
The unidentified male initially retreated after one of the Troopers ordered him to step back; however, when the Troopers exited their vehicle, the man charged at them while still brandishing the harpoon and ignored the Troopers’ commands to stop. That’s when one of the Troopers discharged their firearm, striking the man.
Despite lifesaving efforts by the Troopers and EMS, the assailant was declared deceased at the scene.
“Alaska State Troopers take all homicide investigations very seriously,” said Department of Public Safety Communications Director Austin McDaniel. “We investigate officer-involved shootings the same way we investigate any homicide that occurs anywhere in the state of Alaska. We investigate them with the same thoroughness [and] at the same pace that we would investigate any serious homicide investigation. We’re going to be working through this investigation over the next several days and then refer that over to the Office of Special Prosecutions, where they will independently determine whether or not the State Troopers that were involved in this incident violated the law or if the force that they used was consistent and allowable under the law.”
Body cameras worn by the Troopers on the scene at the time of the shooting, as well as in-car video, were active, although according to McDaniel, DPS policy allows the department “to proactively release body-worn camera video or in-car video at a point of the investigation where it won’t interfere with that investigation.”
While DPS does intend to release the footage, McDaniel said the department works closely with the Office of Special Prosecutions to decide when to release body-worn camera video or in-car video. This is largely due to the impact that premature release of footage could have on the investigation.
“There’s still interviews that need to be conducted with people, and being able to watch that video prior to giving their accounts of what happened could potentially influence their answers,” McDaniel said.
The assailant’s body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
Next-of-kin notifications are in progress, and his identity will be released once notifications have been made.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation has assumed case responsibility and is actively investigating the incident thoroughly. Once their investigation is complete, it will be referred to the Office of Special Prosecutions for independent review.
The Trooper who discharged their firearm has been placed on 72 hours of administrative leave in accordance with DPS policy. The Trooper’s name will be released publicly in 72 hours.
