Anchorage police release more details on shooting that killed Easter Leafa

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Officials with the Anchorage Police Department divulged more details Monday on the officer-involved shooting last week that left a teen girl dead in a University Area apartment.

Easter Leafa, 16, was killed in the Tuesday night shooting, which has spurred a new round of protests and rallies by community members in the days since calling for change. There have been six police shootings in Anchorage since May 13.

“I cannot take away the pain that an officer-involved shooting causes this department, our community, and especially Easter’s family … I do not expect those that are hurt, those that are angry, scared, and skeptical to change their view today because of what I said today or what we said last week,” APD Chief Sean Case said Monday. “It is my job to make changes to make sure that we provide the best service with the best technology and the best training and the best policies that govern what we do.”

Police responded to Greenbriar Apartments off Tudor Road on Tuesday night around 11:30 p.m. after receiving a call from a sister of Leafa’s who said she had a knife. On Monday, Case described the knife as being approximately seven inches in length.

According to information provided by Case during Monday’s press conference, there were approximately nine people inside the apartment when police arrived, prompting the request for additional units based on the number of people inside.

The family was attempted to be moved into a bedroom by officers to isolate Leafa, who was reported to be on the back porch, covered in a blanket in a seated position.

According to APD, officers opened the screen door and made contact with Easter. Officers then gave commands for Leafa to show “empty open hands.”

Case said she then stood up, took the blanket off, and turned toward officers. She was reported to be still holding a knife in her right hand. Easter then approached the officers with a knife approximately at her leg level.

Case said officers commanded Leafa to drop the knife, a command police say she ignored.

On Saturday, police released the name of the officer who fired his gun in the shooting, Officer Alexander Roman, a nearly seven-year veteran of the force. APD did not reveal any other names of the officers at the scene, but initially reported that another officer had fired a “non-lethal” weapon at Leafa.

Case said one officer — presumed to be Roman — then fired three rounds at Leafa and another officer fired a 40-millimeter platform, a “less lethal projectile.”

Case said that from what police can tell at this point, shots between the handgun and less lethal projectile were “pretty much” at the same time.

An APD spokesperson confirmed it is not standard procedure to release officer names involved in non-lethal responses.

Leafa was set to begin her junior year at Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School.

Case said that the department is still in the process of reviewing evidence, but that all of the interviews are complete.

In a joint press conference between Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and Case last week, it was explained that a third-party investigator would be brought in to conduct an internal investigation at the direction of the mayor.

As of Monday, Case said there is no third party involved, and the completed interviews have been conducted by the criminal investigation with homicide detectives. Case said the third-party investigation will start after the Office of Special Prosecution has issued its review.

In closing, Case said the past several days have indicated the importance of moving forward as a community and finding solutions that “we’re looking for together.”

“In every corner of this community there are good people, good people that support the police department, and good people that want to help the police department provide the best possible services that we can,” Case said. “I appreciate the willingness of our community members to provide good feedback as well as feedback that can help us improve.”

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