One month after Barrow Fire Chief Vincent Nageak III was shot and killed by a North Slope Borough police officer, Barrow residents and the family of the victim have few answers to their many questions.
On Thursday, Alaska Department of Law spokeswoman Cori Mills confirmed that the Alaska Bureau of Investigation is continuing to investigate the shooting. The ABI is a component of the Division of Alaska State Troopers and investigates major crimes throughout the state.
The results of the investigation are expected to be forwarded to the Alaska Department of Law’s Office of Special Investigations.
Mills was unable to say when the investigation will be complete.
In a press conference Thursday morning, Rep. Ben Nageak, D-Barrow, spoke at length about the death of his nephew.
“We’ll find out sooner or later what happened, but in the meantime, we must all live together, and even though it’s hard, we must forgive the people who were involved,” he said.
Nageak referred to a speech given by his brother, Roy, at Vincent Nageak’s funeral two weeks ago.
“It’s all about forgiveness,” Roy Nageak said, according to a text shared through Facebook. “People always ask, ‘Why don’t you seek revenge?’ And what? Get down to their level? No way.”
“We’re always evolving, right? No anger, no bitterness. People who have anger and have bitterness, it eats them up. Eventually, they get sick. Eventually, they get hooked up, addicted, or whatever they call that. But we’ve got to change that culture. Our Iñupiaq culture says ‘forgiveness.’”
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com.
