Press Release

Office of Special Prosecutions Completes Review of Officer-Involved Shooting in Kasilof in July

September 12, 2024

(Anchorage, AK) – The Office of Special Prosecutions completed its review of an officer-involved shooting on July 8, 2024, involving Kirk Medak and Alaska State Trooper Gabriel Holmann in Kasilof.

The review letter was issued to the Department of Public Safety and Trooper Holmann on August 22, 2024. Due to an oversight, a press release was not issued at the time. The review determined that Trooper Holmann was legally justified in his use of deadly force against Mr. Medak, who was 67.

Mr. Medak was contacted by Troopers after citizens reported he was threatening children with a sword at a campsite at Kasilof Public Beach. When Troopers arrived to contact Mr. Medak, he approached them with a pointed pole that looked like a harpoon or a spear and used it to strike their patrol car repeatedly. Mr. Medak ignored their commands to drop it and back up, and Trooper Holmann fired at Mr. Medak when he came toward Trooper Holmann with the pointed pole, poised as if he was about to throw it.

CONTACT: Chief Assistant Attorney General Jenna Gruenstein, at (907) 269-6250 or jenna.gruenstein@alaska.gov.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.