No evidence in reported Kasaan shooting

A reported shooting early Wednesday morning in Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island apparently didn’t happen.

Alaska State Troopers Spokeswoman Megan Peters said that a man called Troopers a little after 2 a.m. Wednesday, reporting trespassers on his property in Kasaan. The Village Public Safety Officer was notified, went out to the site and didn’t find any trespassers.

“The man called back a little bit later stating that the three individuals had come back, and a female had a rifle,” she said. “The man reported that the woman had tried to enter his house, and that he shot her, and that the female had run off into the woods with two males.”

The man also told Troopers that he was held up in his home because the three people were returning fire. At that point, the authorities responded in force. Peters said the response comprised three Troopers from Prince of Wales Island, two Troopers from Ketchikan, the VPSOs from Kasaan and Thorne Bay, and a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer.

But, Peters said they found no evidence that anyone had been shot, or even that a gun had been fired.

“There were no signs of anybody in the area besides the man,” she said. “The man did appear to be under mental duress and he was ultimately taken into protective custody.”

Troopers declined to identify the man, or provide any details about his mental condition.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications