The Municipality of Anchorage has reached a historic $2.11 million settlement with the family of the late Easter Leafa, marking what is likely the largest known civil settlement in Alaska’s history involving a use-of-force incident.
The settlement resolves all claims arising from the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Leafa on Aug. 13, 2024 after she threatened several people with a large knife. Although a state investigation concluded with no criminal charges filed against the officer involved, the Leafa family, represented by legal counsel, pursued civil claims against the city. Ten members of the Leafa family were named in the settlement.
On April 30, 2025, Anchorage Police Chief Sean Case and members of the Leafa family met with their respective attorneys and reached the multimillion-dollar agreement to avoid extended litigation. The Municipality described the decision as a strategic one, aimed at minimizing costs and risks while allowing space for healing.
“We want to protect everyone involved from having to re-live this incident in court,” said Mayor Suzanne LaFrance. “I have met with the Leafa family, and the grace with which they’ve responded to their loss is profound. I am grateful for their desire to prioritize healing, for themselves and the whole community.”
The statement is in contrast to the quick public apology she made to the family immediately after the incident in which Easter Leafa was a violent aggressor, and was subsequently shot by police.
“Every officer in our department has chosen to serve because they care about our community and its safety,” she said in a statement. “They have difficult and sometimes thankless jobs … As Mayor, it is my responsibility to ensure they have the support and resources they need.”
In response to the shooting, the LaFrance administration commissioned an independent review of the incident, showing no faith in the existing public process through the Office of Special Prosecutions.
That report, which was released in January 2025, included a series of policy and training recommendations, all of which the Anchorage Police Department has committed to implementing. Much of the report, however, was kept secret from the public.
Chief Case, who assumed leadership of APD on July 1, 2024, also initiated a department-wide review of use-of-force incidents dating back 15 years. That review was released publicly in November of 2024 and aimed at identifying systemic issues or trends.
Additionally, APD has launched a public-facing use-of-force dashboard to increase transparency. A six-month comprehensive review of APD’s policies and training related to force and de-escalation, conducted by an outside contractor, will begin soon, following a competitive procurement process involving the municipality, the police union, and community stakeholders.
The city has also bolstered staffing of its Mobile Intervention Team which pairs behavioral health professionals with law enforcement to respond to mental health crises. This initiative is part of the administration’s broader Safe Streets and Trails strategy aimed at preventing violence and improving public safety.
The Anchorage Assembly was briefed on the terms of the settlement during a closed-door executive session at its Tuesday night meeting. The agreement officially brings to a close the civil proceedings related to one of the most scrutinized use-of-force cases in the state’s recent history.
We certainly can anticipate some extra donations to some, left say, Assembly members.
Mayor Karen whipped out the checkbook to buy off the family , after tossing the cops in front of the bus. Remember that check is cashed with OUR moneY, not hers!!
It is nobody’s money…that’s the problem.
It is my money, and the money of every taxpayer in Anchorage. The City has no money it does not collect from the public.
.
And, this is just another example of leftists spending other people’s money so they can get the warm fuzzies and pretend they are benevolent.
Which is why it was approved behind closed doors, hidden from the public view
Chuck–Anchorage’s general liability insurance policy, which is typically part of a comprehensive insurance package, will pay the settlement, not the taxpayers.
Depends on the city’s deductible
So, the Money Fairy dropped it at CityHall,right??
Are you really that naive? The taxpayers will be stuck with paying the higher insurance premiums after this.
Premiums will rise.
No, Anchorage, Alaska does not have a specific, comprehensive insurance package designed to cover all potential police actions, such as excessive force, or other misconduct. While Anchorage, like other municipalities in Alaska, may have general liability insurance policies to cover certain claims against the city, these policies are not designed to cover every potential outcome of police interactions.
So it falls to the taxpayer!
Unsubstantiated claim. Prove it with a letter from the ins company saying they will cover everything at no cost to taxpayers, including no increased rates.
And, who pays for that insurance policy?
Your correct.
Undoubtedly LaFrance’s response is what cost all us taxpayers money in this case.
No one settles a case like this for over 2 Million unless there is a very good chance that a jury will award more. Much more!
The public is not getting the whole story. It should because it is the tax payers money that will be used to pay all or much of the settlement.
Alaskans–The City of Anchorage holds a general liability insurance policy that will pay the settlement. From what I have read from several different sources, both the family and the City want to move forward towards healing. I suspect that the family also agreed to the terms because of the reforms, policy shifts, increased mental health support accompanying police, and the new trainings that will now be implemented. I think that everyone simply wanted to move forward from a tragic incident that affected not just the family and their community, but the police and larger Anchorage community as well.
Yep so everyone’s rates go up
If the liability policy was covering this idiocy, then the insurance company would have been doing the deal making. This is 100% more DEI BS that has continued to cost property tax payers. If people threaten police, after the police have been called by family members, they should be ready to get a dirt nap.
No, it does not.
Wake up- Reforms, policy, mental health, police, training, blah, blah, blah, etc., all cost additional money-from the taxpayers.
I doubt the ins policy covers everything, especially with the state police report showing clearance, then why have to pay? Why would ins company pay? What part is considered under “self insurance” coverage by city? The incompetent current mayor shouldn’t have come out of the gate immediately biased and critical of police, trying to put in more bureaucracy than necessary. She did not know what she was talking about.
Reward criminals. Cultivate lawlessness.
U.S. to pay nearly $5 million to family of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt. Just sayin’.
Ashli Babbitt was unarmed and in no position, when shot, to harm anyone on the other side of the door.
You’re comparing apples and watermelons, Mutt!
My exact thoughts.
From what I recall, there were NINE family members present at the time of this incident and none of them could handle ONE distraught minor female?!? Last time I checked, Pacific Islanders are extremely stout and physically capable people. LaFrance is no friend of law enforcement and has proven it by throwing APD under the bus on this one. No wonder she appointed a sycophant to Chief of Police and sent an accomplished, well-liked veteran female Chief packing.
Well said … I agree on all points.
Trigger Happy Cops in Anchorage are not just killing Girls with a knife while they are armed with an arsenal of non-lethal alternatives, they want us to pay for their fun!
Will the police union still back Mayor LaFrance after she threw them under the bus?
Pepper spray? Tasers? Weren’t those handy for use? Because this process was non-transparent, it forces the public to make their own speculations. Leftist biases are not always unreasonable.
After “The Summer of Love”, our police forces were needlessly denigrated in a way not seen since the “fascist pigs” canard of the 60s. However, my own experience with police, as a prolife protestor, and as a teacher who conducts classes in Do’s and Don’ts of both police and citizens, has forced me to be vigilant.
One common abuse is when police try to get the passengers in a traffic stop to show some ID. Another is to make up rules that don’t exist, like “You are not allowed to make organized chants while picketing.” If too many teen-aged boys are inside a car on a Friday night, they will concoct flimsy excuses to make a pull-over in a fishing expedition, even when the kids are obeying all the traffic rules.
In a mockery of their concern for safety, patrol car strobe lights often blind oncoming traffic at night. Drivers are often scolded for looking for a side street or parking lot during a traffic violation, instead of instantly pulling over onto the far more dangerous shoulder.
Police would do well to have periodic listening sessions, with plenty of press coverage. They can explain the rules of the road, instead of expecting citizens to have police-academy knowledge. They can also hear constructive criticism, and act on improving community relations.
Scenario fulfillment is a thing.
Money will heal them.
This will happen now with every officer involved shooting. All the “loving” relatives will soon appear with the ambulance chasing attorneys to claim their prize.
The first rule of law enforcement: Make sure when your shift is over, you go home alive.
It might be a real good idea to not take a job that requires some decent judgement if your Fear Factor doesn’t allow you to do anything but shoot what you’re affraid of.
There is no solution to these domestic disturbances, communist/democrat party will not allow it. Too much power and money involved. Just like every other problem issue they take advantage of.
The only times I go into Anchorage is to shop at Costco and dump my trash at the homeless camps. Its free ya know. The stupid Anchorage voters pay for it. Thanks Anchorage!
Everyone is talking about the minutiae of the dollar amount. Idiots.
Essentially what really matters is the Municipality of Anchorage having publicly declared all uses of force by law enforcement as criminally suspect.
So. The message to LE is, if you get caught in a tight spot, we won’t support you even if it’s your life and the lives of others that you save.
If you think APD is lax and lazy now, you haven’t even seen lazy yet…and the administration will be perfectly fine with that.
I’d like to know what Mayor Lafrance would do if she were dealing with a 200lb+ berserker coming at her with a knife.
Talking about the dollar amount and having to pay is Not minutiae, especially when you are the ones always being forced to pay. Have some consideration for the tax payers, especially when they pay your salaries.
This sets a dangerous precedent. Now every family of anyone shot by APD officers, past or future, is going to sue the city.
The alternative was for the court to set the precedent with a larger dollar figure and a much longer stay at the top of the news cycle throughout the trial.
This was 100% the best (actually available) outcome for law enforcement – taking this to trial would have been worse for taxpayers and much worse for law enforcement. If Easter’s family was really just out for money, they would not have settled, because they’d probably have gotten over 5mil in the very likely event that they prevailed in a civil trial (but, frankly, that would have sucked for them – reliving their 16 year old relative’s death that they played a role in by calling police in the first place, ouch. I totally get why they’d take the certain money and avoid that additional suffering)