The family of a 16-year-old girl who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Anchorage Alaska is demanding answers from police.
Easter Leafa’s family says she and her mother moved to Anchorage four or five months ago from American Samoa to join an extended family network of aunts, cousins, sisters and uncles. They described Easter as a quiet person who loved to sing and be with her nieces and nephews.
KTUU-TV reports it all started, according to Easter’s older sister Rosalie Tialavea, after an additional sister called police claiming that Easter “came at her and hit her with a knife.”
They say before police arrived, Easter retreated to a balcony and covered herself with a blanket.
When police arrived, according to the family, one officer already had his gun out. They say they were told to get in a room for their safety and the safety of the officers. An aunt says she tried to run outside to talk with Easter from below the balcony when the shots were fired.
Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case, said when officers arrived at the apartment, they commanded Leafa to drop the knife, which she didn’t.
Case said around this point, one officer fired multiple times at Leafa and another officer fired a “less lethal projectile.”
Case explained that Leafa began to approach officers when they made the decision to fire at her.
The family says police wouldn’t let them speak with Easter to try and attempt to calm the situation down before the shooting.
Leafa’s sister Faialofa Dixon said, “At this point, we want justice because that was not right. She was a minor, they should have asked questions when they came in. Instead, they came in ready, looking like they were ready to [shoot] her down.”
