A Kasilof man was shot and killed by Alaska State Troopers Wednesday night after allegedly pointing a weapon at a trooper during an on-foot pursuit through the woods, according to a Jan. 29 dispatch from the Department of Public Safety.
Troopers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a residence involving a discharged firearm at approximately 6:15 p.m. in the area of Coho Loop in Kasilof, according to the dispatch. Upon arrival, Troopers found Justin Leman, 32, of Kasilof, who allegedly ran from the residence and into the woods.
After multiple Troopers tracked Leman through the woods, Leman allegedly “produced a weapon toward a trooper” and was fired upon. Leman died on scene as a result of his injuries despite attempts to save his life, according to the dispatch. No other injuries were reported.
Next of kin for Leman have been notified. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation and the General Investigative Unit in Soldotna are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The trooper or troopers who discharged their firearms during the incident will be named following a mandatory 72-hour administrative leave.
DPS did not clarify how many officers discharged their firearm in the shooting. Officers that fire their service weapon during a shooting are required to take 72 hours of leave to “allow time to attend critical incident stress debriefing” and seek support for physical and emotional stress, Public Information Officer Tim DeSpain said in an email on Thursday.
“The three days also allows the officer(s)to comfort and prepare their family members and loved ones for potential attention from the media and public, which typically occurs when the name is released,” DeSpain said.
Once the investigation into the shooting is complete, it will be forwarded to the Department of Law’s Office of Special Prosecutions for review.
