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VPO in Chevak Shooting Was Not Armed

Photo Courtesy of Ryan Choi

The Village Police Chief who was wounded last week in Chevak was apparently unarmed.  The man who shot him subsequently killed himself.  The latest report from the Alaska State Troopers sheds more light on the events of last week.

Alaska State Troopers say that VPO Derek McDonald responded to reports of an intoxicated man wielding a firearm.  That man was Harold Paniyak, age 24. The report says that McDonald responded to the call with no firearm of his own, and was shot in the chest by Paniyak with a .35-caliber pistol.

After McDonald fell to the ground, Paniyak fired at least two additional rounds into the officer. McDonald still managed to flee the scene, helping witnesses take cover in the local Head Start building as he was doing so.

The report says that Paniyak pursued them while still holding his gun, and unsuccessfully attempted to enter the building. Shortly after that, Paniyak shot himself in the chest with the pistol.

This instance is one of many in recent years where rural police officers have gone into dangerous situations without a weapon, and have ended up victims themselves.

In 2014 the state passed a law allowing Village Public Safety Officers to carry guns, but not all officers have chosen to go through the training and take up arms - something that can be difficult for short-staffed departments to find the time and funds to do. Village Police Officers like McDonald have always had the option of undergoing training to carry firearms, but their departments may also be restricted by time, available personnel, and money. 

Many officers rely on the State Troopers to resolve tense conflicts, but this is not always possible in cases where residents are in immediate danger. Village Police Officers are often forced to enter these situations armed only with pepper spray, a taser, and the hope that they will be able to resolve the issue peacefully.  

At the time of this report McDonald was still receiving care in an Anchorage hospital for severe injuries.