Prosecutors clear troopers in fatal New Year’s Day shooting of Fairbanks man

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) — State troopers who fatally shot and killed a 24-year-old Fairbanks man on New Year’s Day will face no criminal charges, Alaska prosecutors announced, after an independent review determined they were legally justified in their use of deadly force.

Content Warning: This article contains video and information that some readers might find disturbing.

Newly-released redacted Alaska Department of Public Safety incident records show troopers were called at about 11:28 a.m. Jan. 1 to a home on Gradelle Avenue after a report of a domestic disturbance involving Rexford. Rexford had been released that morning from Fairbanks Memorial Hospital’s behavioral health unit, where he had been admitted since Christmas Day.

According to the incident report, Rexford was sitting on a couch as troopers and family members talked with him about returning to the hospital for an involuntary mental health commitment.

The report says Rexford suddenly ran into the kitchen, grabbed large kitchen knives and began making repeated stabbing motions at a trooper, ultimately forcing him to the ground.

The report also says the trooper sustained a small knife wound to his hand during the struggle, which was confirmed by body-worn camera footage.

Two troopers fired their service weapons during the struggle, the report says. Rexford was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. Rexford’s brother Adam — identified by the family at a January vigil — was also struck by gunfire during the shooting, the incident report says. He was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the head, according to the incident report.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the troopers who fired as Trooper John Faul and Trooper Wyatt Miller. According to AST, both troopers had about five and a half months of service at the time of the shooting. The incident report says Faul also had more than three years of prior law enforcement experience as a patrol deputy with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation investigated the shooting, and the findings were independently reviewed by the Office of Special Prosecutions, which has declined to file criminal charges against the troopers.

Alaska’s News Source has reviewed body-worn camera footage and 911 audio released as part of the investigation.

Incident report details

The report says the first 911 call came from Rexford’s brother, who told dispatch his brother was having medical issues and was breaking items in the home and asked that two troopers respond.

The report says a second call came from Rexford’s father, who told dispatch his son was destroying property and had just been released from the hospital’s fourth floor. The father told dispatch no one had been hurt but that Rexford might need to be restrained, according to the report.

The report says troopers were talking with Rexford about a Title 47 — an involuntary mental health commitment — to return him to the hospital. During that conversation, Rexford said multiple times that he wanted to die, according to the report.

Investigators wrote that from the time Rexford stood up and rushed to the kitchen until the final shots were fired was about eight seconds, based on their review of body-worn camera video.

Vigil held for Rexford

The decision comes nearly three months after family and friends gathered Jan. 26 at Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks for a candlelight vigil to remember Rexford.

Rexford’s sister, Linda Rexford, read a statement from their parents.

“He liked to go biking, walking and fishing with his family. We were very proud of him buying his first brand new car this past summer by himself,” she said. “He was a kind, thoughtful, caring person who wanted to become a registered nurse. He was excited about being able to do the things he wanted to do and looked forward to working in the medical field in the future.”

Linda Rexford said her brother was born Nov. 7, 2001, in Fairbanks. She said he attended University Park Elementary School, Ryan Middle School and West Valley High School, and became a certified nursing assistant through the University of Alaska Community and Technical College.

Rexford’s uncle, Robert Kious, said at the vigil he wished troopers had used tasers.

What’s next

DPS has said an administrative process can follow officer-involved shootings to review tactics, training and whether any policy violations occurred. AST has confirmed the next steps will be an administrative review to look at tactics, training and whether policies were followed.

The Alaska Department of Law said it was in the process of being released the Office of Special Prosecutions’ official review on Friday.

The Rexford family’s supporters are now calling for a rally at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 at Geist and University in Fairbanks in support of William and Adam Rexford.

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