Anchorage police shot and killed a 16-year-old girl, identified as Easter Leafa, who they say was armed with a knife during a disturbance between family members. This marks the sixth officer-involved shooting in three months by the department, with four out of the six people shot having died. The officers responded to a call reporting the teen threatening her sister with a knife and attempted to give her commands, but she approached them with the knife still in hand. One officer fired multiple rounds, resulting in her death. A second officer fired a less-lethal projectile.
Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case described the incident as tragic and stated that they strive to protect human life. The teenager would have started her junior year of high school the day after the shooting. Her family described her as a minor who had recently moved to Alaska from American Samoa to seek education and a future. The family is calling for justice and demanding full transparency through the release of the police body camera footage. The incident has sparked outrage and questions over the use of force by the department.
Case has announced plans to review trainings, tactics, and supervision to prevent future officer-involved shootings. A second press conference is scheduled to provide updates on the case, which was recorded on a police body camera. The officer involved in the shooting has not been interviewed yet, but the department is gathering information from dispatch calls. The family is seeking answers and justice for the loss of Easter and is demanding accountability from the police department.
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