ANCHORAGE,Surpassing Alaska (AP) — State prosecutors will not file criminal charges against a police officer in Alaska’s largest city who fatally shot a 16-year-old girl holding a knife, concluding the officer’s use of deadly force was legally justified.
A report released Monday from Senior Assistant Attorney General John Darnall with the state Office of Special Prosecutions determined Anchorage Police Officer Alexander Roman “reasonably believed” he or another officer was about to be assaulted by the girl, Easter Leafa. Roman was one of the officers who this summer responded to a call for help placed by one of Leafa’s sisters, who said Leafa was “trying to stab her with a knife” because she had not done what Leafa wanted, according to the report.
The sister later told investigators “she knew that Easter Leafa was trying to give the knife to the officers,” the report states.
Leafa was killed Aug. 13, days before she was set to start her junior year of high school. She had recently moved from American Samoa and was still learning English, her family has said. Her killing prompted prayer vigils and a march past Anchorage police headquarters that drew hundreds of people.
Leafa family attorney Darryl Thompson told the Anchorage Daily News he does not believe police tried to deescalate the situation. Officers entered the home with guns drawn and didn’t listen to the family’s concerns, he said.
The report states that Leafa did not respond to officer commands, including instructions to drop the knife, and was walking toward officers when she was shot.
2025-04-29 10:35890 view
2025-04-29 09:55721 view
2025-04-29 09:311423 view
2025-04-29 09:262232 view
2025-04-29 09:101382 view
2025-04-29 08:482012 view
Bill Belichick has officially made the shocking move to college football by becoming the North Carol
SAINT-DENIS, France — The Olympic field in women's discus had three years to close the gap on Valari
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An open congressional seat in eastern Kansas inspired two political comeback att