Press Release

Office of Special Prosecutions Completes Review of Officer-Involved Shooting in Gambell

October 17, 2024

(Anchorage, AK) – The Office of Special Prosecutions has completed its review of an officer-involved shooting from Aug. 16, 2024, involving Alaska State Troopers Jayson Christner and Colten Buie and Court Services Officer Sawyer Munson’s use of force against Vaughn Walunga, 46, in Gambell.

The review determined that Troopers Christner and Buie and CSO Munson were legally justified in their use of deadly force against Mr. Walunga, which occurred when Mr. Walunga fired a rifle from his front door as officers attempted to serve a felony arrest warrant on Mr. Walunga. 

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.

Due to resource constraints, we no longer post links to referenced records. Records filed in a federal court are readily available at Docket Search or PACER, and records filed in a State of Alaska court are readily available from the Alaska Court System (Trial Courts - Alaska Court System and Search for an Appellate Case). Contact Sam Curtis to request a referenced record that is not readily available from a court or on the internet, or contact law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov to submit a formal Alaska Public Records Act request.