ANCHORAGE, 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.
2025-04-20 08:5967 view
2025-04-20 08:311414 view
2025-04-20 08:24874 view
2025-04-20 08:03565 view
2025-04-20 07:25650 view
2025-04-20 07:152146 view
JoJo Siwa is reflecting on her "very public beef" with Candace Cameron Bure.The "Dance Moms" alum, 2
A Texas man was charged with felony child abuse after accidently discharging a gun and striking his
Charmin has a new take on how toilet tissue tears.The Procter & Gamble brand this month begins a