A police officer in Point Hope shot and killed a man who had opened fire on residents and buildings Wednesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
Troopers were notified at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday that a North Slope Borough police officer had shot Robert Nash in the Northwest Alaska community, according to troopers’ online report. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation responded to the incident.
According to a preliminary investigation, Nash, 40, was shooting a rifle at Point Hope residents and buildings, troopers said. When the police officer found Nash outside town armed with a gun, Nash refused the officer’s commands to drop the rifle and pointed it at the officer, who then shot Nash, troopers said. The police officer wasn’t identified in the troopers’ report.
Nash was transferred to a Point Hope clinic where he received immediate medical attention, according to troopers, and he died from his injuries.
No one else was hurt in the incident, troopers said.
Point Hope was on lockdown from late Wednesday morning until the afternoon, according to city mayor Tariek Oviok.
“The community is marked safe at this time,” Oviok told the Daily News on Wednesday afternoon.
Nash’s body is being sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. His next of kin have been notified.
Native Village of Point Hope officials said Thursday that they don’t have a statement at this time out of respect for Nash’s family, who are grieving.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and will be reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions, troopers said.