Crime & Courts

Utqiagvik murder suspect taken into custody after 3-day search

A police manhunt in Utqiagvik has ended with the arrest of a man accused of fatally shooting one person and injuring two at a gathering to celebrate his 27th birthday.

North Slope Borough police announced Tuesday evening that Asiagin Ahmaogak had been apprehended. Police did not immediately respond to requests for further information Wednesday.

Ahmaogak is charged with second-degree murder and assault in the Sunday morning shooting.

A criminal complaint says Ahmaogak shot three people after he was kicked out of the residential gathering for brandishing a gun while people were drinking.

The court document says Ahmaogak shot Edmund Siologa, Elizabeth Bordeaux and Masteredseed Vondincklage and then left.

Siologa died at the scene. The other two were taken to a hospital.

According to the criminal complaint, people were in the home drinking and celebrating Ahmaogak's birthday, which was on Saturday, a woman identified as Victoria Koonaloak told authorities.

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"Victoria stated the defendant brandished a handgun while they were drinking. She stated they did not want him there anymore so they got him out of the residence," the complaint says.

Ahmaogak stayed outside and continuously knocked on the door, according to the complaint. It says when the door was opened, he shot Siologa, Bordeaux and Vondincklage.

A man at the gathering told authorities that Siologa was struck by a round inside the home's arctic entry. He said Ahmaogak then ran past him and began shooting from the arctic entry and the main door of the home, the court document said.

Siologa died at the scene. Vondincklage was shot in his left forearm, and Bordeaux was shot in the abdominal area.

Police found .40-caliber shell casings in the home.

Bail has been set at $1 million, according to court documents.

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