More than 100 people gather in downtown Anchorage for vigil honoring teenager killed by police

1 month ago

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More than 100 Anchorage organization members gathered downtown astatine Anchorage’s Park Strip Friday day for a vigil to retrieve Easter Leafa, a 16-year-old who was changeable and killed by Anchorage constabulary this week.

Leafa had precocious moved to Anchorage from American Samoa and was group to commencement her inferior twelvemonth of precocious school. Instead, she was killed Tuesday night by Anchorage constabulary aft they were called to her home, told by dispatchers that she was equipped pinch a knife.

She’s nan sixth personification changeable by Anchorage constabulary since mid-May, and nan 4th to dice from a constabulary shooting.

Pastor Adrienne Richardson of nan Church of God and Saints of Christ First Tabernacle said first astatine nan vigil arsenic organizers passed retired mini electrical candles.

“This is not Chicago. This is not New York. This is not Detroit. This is Anchorage,” Richardson said. “I don’t cognize why immoderate of you are here. But I stay present because I judge Anchorage is simply a safe spot for group of each colors and denominations and cultures to live.”

The shooting has generated outrage among organization members, but Richardson said nan vigil was nary spot for anger.

“We are not present to indict nan management aliases nan constabulary section aliases thing for illustration this,” Richardson said. “We’re present arsenic a unified body, different ministers and clergy to pray.”

Several attendees wore shirts pinch Easter’s look connected them. The crowd ranged successful age, pinch immoderate children opinionated adjacent elders, arsenic respective Anchorage clergy members gave remarks. Reverend Patricia Wilson-Cane of First American Baptist Church highlighted really young Leafa was erstwhile she was killed.

“Sixteen years of increasing up,” Wilson-Cane said. “Sixteen years pinch her parents. Sixteen years pinch her siblings. Sixteen years successful Samoa, and moved present to Anchorage, Alaska for a amended life, for a amended education.”

The vigil was organized by Lucy Hansen, caput of nan Polynesian Association of Alaska. Hansen said to nan crowd, pausing often to speak done tears. She besides focused overmuch of her comments connected children.

“What tin we do to protect our kids,” Hansen asked. “What tin we opportunity to our kids to spot nan rule enforcement? How tin we make that clear, and really tin we make them judge that nan rule is location for them?”

After nan vigil, Hansen said that she’s heard anguish from members of nan Polynesian community, particularly from children.

“Our young kids are very acrophobic now to nan constituent that if they telephone nan police, are they going to come,” Hansen said. “Are they going to travel and prevention them, aliases they’re going to travel and termination them, you know? So that is nan point that we’re proceeding successful our organization from our kids.”

In consequence to nan shooting, Anchorage politician Suzanne LaFrance announced a bid of reforms aimed astatine curbing constabulary shootings. She says Leafa’s shooting will beryllium investigated by a 3rd party, and nan metropolis will soon group up a organization advisory committee for nan police.

Hansen says she appreciates nan attraction that nan shooting is garnering from nan metropolis and nan community, and said she hopes nan momentum continues.

“I deliberation it’s a bully starting point, but I deliberation I request to spot it much continuing, you know,” Hansen said.

To adjacent her vigil remarks, Hansen gave a connection successful Samoan to nan family.

Roughly translated, she said it meant — she knew what nan family was going through, and that seeking retired God would thief them find peace, forgiveness and ray successful their lives.

And arsenic attendees continued to clasp their candles, nan vigil ended pinch nan crowd singing nan accepted hymn, “This Little Light of Mine.”

a image of a man outside