NOORVIK -- A resident of the Western Alaska village of Noorvik who punched a security guard, threatened to kill troopers, then fled to the hills was taken into custody Friday evening after a 12-hour manhunt, Alaska State Troopers said. Jimmy Coffin, 23, faces multiple charges including first-degree robbery, third- and fourth-degree assault, vehicle theft and weapons misconduct.
Noorvik Village Security Guard Edgar Mendenhall called troopers in Kotzebue around 3:30 a.m. Friday seeking help with a suspect. Mendenhall said he checked out a report of a drinking party and about an hour later heard gunfire. Villagers then started calling him saying that Coffin was walking around with a baseball bat looking for someone to beat up, troopers said.
Around 5:30 a.m., Coffin went to Mendenhall's home, heard him talking to troopers, and punched him in the back of the head, troopers said. He left, then returned with a rifle and said he would kill the troopers as they got off the plane.
"Coffin then told Mendenhall that he would not be taken alive, said goodbye, and stole Mendenhall's four-wheeler that was outside," according to the trooper report of the incident.
Troopers were able to land safely. They learned that he had fled to the nearby hills where he hunts and were told he had two stolen rifles. Schools were locked down. Surrounding villages were notified. Airlines were told not to fly into Noorvik.
The troopers' tactical team from Fairbanks -- the Special Emergency Reaction Team -- was called in. Other troopers came from Nome. Coffin was found around 6:30 p.m. about five miles northwest of Noorvik. He was taken into custody without incident, troopers said.
By LISA DEMER
ldemer@adn.com