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Trooper cleared of wrongdoing in officer-involved shooting tied to Eek murder case

The Alaska Department of Public Safety unveiled its draft policy for body-worn cameras for state troopers on Wednesday. Officials anticipate outfitting officers with cameras this spring.
Petra Harpak
/
KYUK
An Alaska State Trooper hat.

The state Office of Special Prosecutions has determined that an Alaska State Trooper was legally justified when he fired multiple shots at a man residing in Eek, now charged with murdering his girlfriend in August in the lower Kuskokwim Delta community.

According to assistant attorney general Sam Vandergaw, trooper Luke Kumfer fired two shots that missed 41-year-old Nick Beebe, who allegedly pointed a shotgun at him from a window while barricaded in a home.

A press release from the Alaska Department of Law regarding the incident notes that Kumfer was responding to Eek based on reports of a man pointing a shotgun at local law enforcement, but does not detail specifics of the officer-involved shooting investigation.

Beebe has been charged with murder, assault, and weapons misconduct in the death of 38-year-old Lorna White of Eek.

According to charging documents, Beebe allegedly barricaded himself in White’s home on Aug. 6, pointed a shotgun at local law enforcement, and fired from the residence at the occupied Eek city building.

At some point after Bethel-based troopers, including Kumfer, responded to Eek, the troopers Southcentral SWAT team arrived to arrest Beebe. Inside the home, they found White dead of suspected blunt force trauma.

A statement made by another trooper in support of the charges against Beebe makes no mention of the officer-involved shooting with Kumfer. The Bethel District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the reason this is not mentioned.

Beebe’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 19 in Bethel Superior Court.

Corrected: October 22, 2024 at 2:52 PM AKDT
This story has been updated to clarify language about Beebe's residency in Eek.
Evan Erickson is a reporter at KYUK who has previously worked as a copy editor, audio engineer and freelance journalist.
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