The officer who shot and killed a young Anchorage girl has been acquitted in the investigation

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage police officer who fired his weapon in last month's fatal police shooting that left a young girl dead was acquitted Monday by investigating prosecutors.

Content Warning: This article and accompanying video contain details that some readers may find disturbing.

A review by the Office of Special Prosecutions found officer Alexander Roman's use of deadly force was “legally justified” when he pulled the trigger on Aug. 13 and killed 16-year-old Easter Leafa in a University District apartment where her family was staying lived, killed.

Shortly after the decision was announced Monday, Anchorage police released body camera footage from the night of the shooting, including a spoken version from Police Chief Sean Case, as well as raw video on its social pages.

Leafa was holding a knife when officers showed up at the Greenbriar Apartments late in the evening of Aug. 13 after her family called APD.

Leafa disobeyed the officer's command to drop the knife, and after being hit by a “less-lethal projectile” by police, he began to approach them, prompting Roman to fire his weapon.

APD said days after her death that Roman had been with the department since December 2017.

The death led to several vigils and protests against police accountability.

Despite city and police guidelines that regulate the release of body camera footage no sooner than 45 days after an officer-involved shooting, the APD said Friday – the 45th day since the shooting – that it would stop releasing the footage security reasons will delay the integrity of the ongoing criminal investigation.

Bodycam footage shows officers responding to a 911 call from the family. One of Leafa's sisters told the police dispatcher that her sister had the knife and was sitting outside on a balcony with a blanket.

In the video, officers can be seen going into the apartment with weapons in their arms and asking family members where Easter is and whether she is armed or not. Police are asking family members to leave the room as they prepare to meet Easter on the balcony.

“Hey, listen, we need some units here to help with crowd control. We're trying to take care of the family before confronting the suspect,” an officer can be heard saying to dispatch. “They refuse to go to their rooms.”

At some point a family member asks the officers what they are planning to do.

“Are you going to show her this?” she asks.

“If she attacks us with a knife, yes,” an officer replies.

The conversation between police and family members about how best to approach Leafa lasts several minutes, with officers trying to clear the room before approaching the teen. The family members continue to insist that they stay with Leafa to calm the situation.

Although there were numerous instances of family members speaking in Samoan prior to the shooting, the OSP report does not specifically mention any type of language barrier between police and the Leafa family.

“We’re just trying to make sure my sister is OK,” a family member said.

“So do we,” an officer replies. “That’s our goal here.”

Eventually the family is forced back into a bedroom and the group of officers opens the balcony door. Easter is seen sitting on a chair under a blanket.

“Go ahead and show me your hands. Show me open, empty hands, it’s the Anchorage Police Department,” an officer says. “If you don’t comply, you could get hurt.”

After police talk to her for about a minute, Leafa stands up and walks toward the officers with a knife in her right hand.

Officers can be heard shouting, “Get away from me!” Drop the knife!” before shots are fired.

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