Corey Ahkivgak, who has attacked three people in Anchorage in the past six months, including a woman who he stabbed in the back at the Loussac Library, was let go by an Anchorage judge. By Monday, Ahkivgak will be walking the streets of Anchorage, free to attack again.
Angela Harris was stabbed while returning borrowed items at the Loussac Library on Sunday afternoon, Feb 13, 2022. Ahkivgak came up to her from behind in the lobby of the library as she approached the return chute. Her injuries were additionally severe because the man’s knife hit her spinal cord, causing paralysis. He had attacked two other women in months leading up to his attack on Harris, and had been released on those attacks, too.
“My family and I have lived in Alaska since 2005 and I am a mother to four children, all of whom I have regularly taken to the library since they were young. I am serving on active duty in the United States Coast Guard,” she said. “Corey Leif Ahkivgak drove a dirty Leatherman knife into my spine between L2 and L3, penetrating my spinal cord.”
But Judge Josie Garton of Anchorage Superior Court dismissed the charges, saying that Ahkivgak was never going to be competent enough to stand trial or understand the criminal Justice system.
Unless prosecutors can find a way to civilly commit him, the ruling means Ahkivgak can go wherever he wants, including any homeless shelter, park, grocery store, or back to the scene of his latest crime — the Loussac Library.
On Facebook, Harris wrote:
“When I arrived at St. Elias, “Momisol” (Ms. Marisol) said, ‘He broke your skin but he did not break your spirit’. Yesterday my heart broke. Today I am reminded of her words as I get myself up again refusing to allow the law to break my spirit. I will not deny that this ruling, the dismissal of his charges and ability to be released again, feels like a bigger blow than when Corey Ahkivgak drove a dirty leatherman knife through my spine.
“It was just another day at work on January 6th when Judge Garton followed the rules of the law releasing Mr. Ahkivgak from custody 28 days after publicly attacking two women on two separate occasions in December. He attacked me 38 days later. Yesterday was the second time that I listened to public competency hearings (for a mind blowing time, call the courts and get the information to listen to a block of those hearings).
“For almost two hours I listened to Municipal and State criminal charges being dismissed and cases dropped due to incompetence rulings. Multiple offenders. Violent offenders. Minor offenders. It was an assembly line of cases. There were victims, like myself, who pleaded with the court to help make sense of how someone could have murdered another human being and still be released with no record based on incompetence.
“Listening to Judge Garton as she justifiably carried out her lawful duties on another routine day in the office was one of the biggest hits I’ve ever taken. It was heavy for me because the people in positions of power have known this injustice has existed for a long time. They knew Alaska Laws were not yet written to protect the public. They knew people were being sent out to the streets daily with clean records. They’ve known there was a loophole, a gap putting Alaskans at risk, yet no one before now has looked into what can be done to fix it.
“Repeatedly, I am being told that, in addition to daily physical and occupational therapy, counseling, learning to walk, etc., it’s also now become up to me, as the victim, to fight for legislative changes. Knowing the courts have watched this injustice happen every day and no one has gotten in front of it because it hasn’t yet effected them or their family was one of the hardest hits. Rulings like this mean those released based on mental incompetency can still work in public schools, purchase firearms, anything they please because there is literally no record of their criminal activity nor their mental incompetence.
“Unless we continue to fight, Mr. Ahkivgak would be released to the public on Monday. My support team and I continue to show up in offices pushing for longer detainment. I am 100% confident that the DA prosecuting on behalf of the State is filing for a Civil Commitment (another soapbox for later, but I have no representation or say. This is a State matter and they do not work on behalf of the victim. The DA for this case has just been very kind at answering my calls and helping me make sense of it). I’ve also learned that if there is no bed space or if the Judge chooses, this request can be denied. API has 80 beds available to serve our state. 10 of those are designated to criminal rehabilitation.
“The Commissioner told the Governor during our meeting that these are adequate numbers and there isn’t a waitlist issue. It makes sense after listening to the court hearings because they release the criminals if they know they will not be able to get into a facility within the time the law allows for them to be detained (yes, I understand criminals are people and have rights too; I do not agree with it being acceptable to conclude 10 beds for rehabilitation is acceptable because we’ve already released a ton back to the streets because 10 beds are all we have).
“I have no legal background; my understanding is a Civil Commitment will detain him for 30 more days. We will continue to have to push for 60, 90 and then 180 days. My understanding is that is as long as he can be held accordingly to law. Judge Garton said he can be held for longer if he’s a danger, but I’ve not found supporting documentation to give me faith in this. After hearing other cases, I also understand that there is a strong lean on releasing criminals because they’ve been detained too long with no resolve. Evidently, keeping our community safe by keeping offenders detained is less favorable as so many pleaded with the judge for “immediate release” because their client has the right to be released since they are incompetent and has already been in jail for weeks or a couple of months. I am abundantly blessed to have Jesus as my stronghold and my family and friends as my support. Even with the love, support and encouragement of an army, there are moments that I crumble. I appreciate all of your love and support. Many of you wrote letters and have reached out to people in positions who can help; thank you for making enough noise to get their attention. Unfortunately, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Please do not stop pressing in until laws are written AND passed. It is going to take community involvement to keep the needle moving. I cannot imagine the emotional, spiritual, mental and financial ruins that other victims before me have faced. Hearing the volume of cases in two days makes me wonder how many victims are out there. Alaska is so big yet so small. Do I know someone who was victimized? Do you? Do they have support?
“The resources that Alaska has is sometimes difficult to find. Even when found, Alaska’s Victims’ Compensation Board has a $40k cap. I would have blown through that a few hours after my attack. I haven’t found that Alaska has a support group for victims in my situation. Homicide, yes, but why does it have to come to that? What exactly are our rights, resources and options as victims? Another huge blessing, I am active duty and Tricare has helped but even then I’ve had to spend double digit hours of emotional stress fighting for outpatient services (again, thanks to Gaylin Swibold and Karen Hewes leaning in with our HS, I now have an incredible patient advocate and no longer have to fight this battle). What about victims who were already struggling to keep their head afloat? If you know a victim, I implore you to reach out to them. For me, I was in our public library on a Sunday afternoon. Through counseling, I’m learning that this has had a profoundly deeper traumatic effect because I was in a seemingly safe place full of fantastic memories. I’ve taken our kiddos to the library since they were young and have had a ton of fun experiences there. For others, who knows their experience? Are they fortunate enough to even have the time, funding and transportation for a counselor to help them process their experience? Where are they and how can they get the assistance that they need?
“I cannot imagine my life without my parents, Walter Burns and Robin Burns being retired and able to come here to take care of the two “littles” (spoiler, they are no longer little) in our home (we are blessed that Miss Kitty likes Mike Trepagnier and April Trepagnier so they can care for her while mom and dad are here). I cannot imagine how I would have been released from inpatient care without Dr. Todd Curzie opening his home to Aaron D and I. I cannot imagine how I would have made it through meetings with government officials without Captain Leanne Lusk picking up dialogue when my shaking voice fades. I cannot imagine how I would untangle my thoughts without the ability to word dump to Christine Moaga and have her help sort it all out.
“I am abundantly blessed. I still struggle daily. We keep fighting because there are victims out there with little to nothing. Criminals are not kept detained and are released creating more victims. We MUST protect and support our community. I honestly do not know how I could fill the gap but I would love to know other victims and hear their stories. I would love to know if there are things that we as a community could do to support them. Victims For Justice is a great resource and my advocate, Golda, is the kindest woman. It seems as if that system could use a little tweaking too (another soapbox for later), but for those victims who still have a gap in their needs, I wonder how our community could offer assistance. Jesus didn’t make a mistake. I am here because there is work to be done. My life is forever changed. We must close the loophole. We must bridge the gap. We must make our public places safer. We have a mental health crisis in our community with inadequate facilities and resources.
“We have a robust Mental Health Trust; how is Alaska utilizing it if not within API? Before anyone barks back, I understand this is happening globally. I understand there are more issues. I am trying to heal and fight with what I have been dealt. My tragedy will not be in vain. It’s already a victory because I still have my life and ability to love on my family and watch my kiddos continue to grow into extraordinary adults. This experience gives us a chance to save someone else from facing a similar attack or a family loosing a beloved. Prayerfully, that positive footprint would encourage someone else to leave a positive footprint. More than a decade ago Mr. Gillam, Diane and JL showed me and my family love and kindness in a way that I can never repay. The only thing any of them would ever say was, “whenever you see an opportunity, pay it forward”. I know Jesus has been with me every step of the way. I’m doing the best I can to press forward, still seek out the best in people and help whoever I can along the way without completely depleting myself. Even after reading this, if the only thing you do is show one other person kindness today, it’s a win.”
Original police report:
Initial indications are that 32-year-old Corey L. Ahkivgak was sitting at a table in the lobby of the library when he abruptly stood up and ran towards a male and female who were near some bookshelves by the windows. Ahkivgak stabbed the adult female in the upper body and then fled from the building on foot. The adult female was transported to the hospital by medics for treatment of her injuries. She is expected to survive.
A description of Ahkivgak was aired over the radio; multiple officers arrived and formed a perimeter. A K9 track was conducted but was ultimately unsuccessful. Just before 5PM a swing shift officer saw a male, matching the suspect’s description, walking near E 36th Avenue and Cottonwood Street. The officer gave the man commands and took him into custody at 4:58PM once backup units arrived. Ahkivgak was positively identified as the suspect.
While Ahkivgak was being transported to the Anchorage Police Department for questioning, he slipped his handcuffs from the back of his body to the front. The officer pulled over, removed Ahkivgak from his patrol vehicle, re-cuffed Ahkivgak’s hands behind him, and then placed hobbles onto Ahkivgak’s legs to keep him from slipping the cuffs again. While Ahkivgak was sitting in the interview room at APD HQ, he flipped over the table causing it to break. At the conclusion of the interview, Ahkivgak was remanded at the Anchorage Jail on the charges of Assault III, Violate Conditions of Release, Criminal Mischief IV (for the damage to the interview room), and Assault I.
There is no indication that Ahkivgak and the victim knew one another. The motive for the attack is still under investigation.
Time to recall a judge
Umm, I fire them every election and yet they never lose their position.
Just say he was at the Jan 6th capitol event. Then he can be held indefinitely.
Judge Josie Garton, next retention: 2022. Vote her out.
And when Ahkivgak stabs again, hold Garton personally accountable.
“Unless prosecutors can find a way to civilly commit him” I dont know…. Seems like stabbing civilians should qualify.
Loophole my foot.
This is exactly what the city council is encouraging when they proclaim every time they talk about decolonization.
I’ll admit my lack of knowledge here. Does Alaska have a statute where someone who is incompetent to stand trial can be found criminally insane? Then detained in a locked facility for the criminally insane? Until such time that diagnosis is no longer the case? Or possibly longer if found justified by the court or until they somehow regain competency and can face trial? If not, we should. Essentially in old school classification…an insane asylum.
Well, thanks a bunch to the morons with rose-colored glasses who got all the insane asylums shut down in the 80s and caused all these awful laws to protect the criminals and the criminally insane and to put law-abiding ordinary citizens at risk. It’s too bad those who sought to release the dangerous mentally incompetent aren’t the victims of the crimes…maybe then they’d change that tune. Maybe they’ll change it when it’s their own family members who are killed or maimed. Why do we have to wait that long? Alaska needs an insane asylum…several, actually. A place to lock up those who are a danger to themselves and/or others.
Yet another reason why voting matters. Remember the name: Judge Josie Garton. She could have remanded this serial offender to an institution but, now the general public is left to defend itself against a known threat. And, we have the democrat party making a full frontal assault on gun rights. It’s a shame that the male standing next to this poor victim (Ms. Harris) didn’t have a gun. He could have done Anchorage a favor that the judge – and Alaska law – has been unwilling to do. Would it be too much to ask the judicial system to post a photograph of Ahkivgak so that we at least would have time to chamber a round should any of us become his next potential victim?
Carry chambered. Always. But otherwise right on point comments.
We actually both have our concealed permit license and carry regularly. The library has detectors and a sign stating no weapons. We learned after my attack that the detectors are for the library materials, not a metal detector. Learning more, if we would have been armed, shot and killed him, we would most likely be facing a much harsher punishment that Mr. Ahkivgak. The Justice system is broken and needs to be fixed. I’m also not completely defending Judge Garton because I firmly believe that she could have done better than release him 28 days after attacking two women in December, and if she showed up to work everyday knowing this was happening in our community, I would have hoped that she would spend her time trying to amend the law to keep criminals off the street instead of releasing them because the current law said she has to do so, but she is following the law as it exists today.
You know, I have a theory on why Alaska’s violent crime statistics are so terrible…
The Alaskan judicial system has literally given this animal a license to kill. Sooner or later he will.
This is why the 2nd Amendment is so important. The ability to defend ourselves since the government won’t.
Perhaps this will change when the child of a judge or legislator is attacked, but I doubt it.
and YET APD will arrest conservatives that speak up against the Nasty Nine or Crazy 8 that are taking over our city.
Another reason women should carry, when visiting the local library.
Another reason why EVERYONE should carry, everywhere in the degenerating social cesspool that is Anchorage.
Hopefully his next victim is packing more than a leatherman.
Thanks Suzanne for giving Angela a platform to get here well written story out for all to see and hear….she is a remarkable soul and has found a way to turn this tragic act into a victory in her life….and given us all something to think about as we review our own lives and he great and good things the Lord has provided for us along our way as well…we certainly can all do more and do it better…but it takes effort on each of our parts to get it done…
This So-called Judge is a clear and present danger and must be removed from the bench. Who will protect the people of Los Anchorage?
When Government fails and is in fact not only failing but utterly and completely corrupt, people have but one choice. We all know this society is coming to; it’s just a matter of what straw is the last straw.
Criminally Insane? Larger populations present with these problems more often than in Anchorage. They have facilities that are corrective and therapeutic. There are reasons why he is this way. He will need a lot of supervision for the foreseeable future. His conditions may change for the better in the future but he sounds too dangerous to be without failsafe supervision 24/7 now. Anchorage has dealt with keeping these dangerous people from victimizing others before. Proper medication. Stacks of psychiatric therapies. Anchorage needs more housing for these criminal, troubled people. Sympathy and prayer for his victims and family. Shocking incident.
Suzanne good day ma’am. Thank you for your integrity the ladies union is taken for granted. Since the judge is so forgiving I guess this is the best time to tell him I am having an affair with his wife, I feed his dog chocolate and I took the Soros money he had hid in his shed.
She is right to focus on the question: what do we do to change the law? Because there is no excuse for allowing this type of thing to happen.
clearly the only solution is common sense knife control.
A posted picture of Ahkivgak would great so we know what he looks like and watch out for him!!
My thought too. I want to see hand bills with his photo. Beware.
These days judges get mighty creative in order to flout the law or the needs and expectations of the societies they’re supposed to protect as they are a part of the justice system. Recall that judge and all such idiot judges.
This judge, as incompetent Anchorage judges (exonerated and perpetuated by the brain dead Leftists that put them there) have demonstrated in the past, is legally guilty of endangering the public they are supposed to be protecting. The mentality of these swine dismissing taking action on their own based on ethical values in favor of some proposed, theoretical concept that ‘this case would go nowhere anyway’ HOLDS NO WATER. As a sitting judge you act on the facts at hand, not what some other department or other judge may or may not do.
Great, Judge let’s continue stabbing the heart of America’s rule of Law, impeach this fool!
Those who want to sue gun manufacturers should now advocate that the victims of this fellow sue the Leatherman firm. The families of the children and teachers killed in the Connecticut elementary school shooting reportedly received $70 million from insurers of the defunct Remington Arms. Truly this Alaska situation requires we all be armed at all times. It’s been several years since I was in this library but back when I did frequent it I was always armed. Since it’s a municipal facility there is no legal way for the facility to ban firearms under state law or under the Constitution. However, if a person is a convicted felon or has been convicted of domestic violence, or if the person is using alcohol they cannot legally possess a firearm.
The world is backwards. If you do everything you are supposed to do, you are the one that pays the bill.
And some stupid people wonder why Americans are reluctant to give up their right to own firearms. The legislature & judicial system has miserably failed this woman. This should be a wakeup call for all of us. Quite literally we are forced to watch our own backs. Our Government could care less about us peons.
Liberalism is not kind. It is not compassionate. It is not “for the little guy”. It is definitely not a home for diverse points of view.
Liberalism is communism under a cute name. Communism is authoritarian and genocide, under the guise of taking care of the people. Usually by violence.
Alaska is fascist, bordering on Bolshevik. And based on voter turnout, most people, including outraged “conservatives” can’t be bothered to care.
Until it shows up at your door.
For all the “outraged” conservatives who are “too busy” to vote and get involved, this is on your doorstep.
“…….Until it shows up at your door……..”
So what if Ms. Harris had put a bullet through Mr. Ahkivgak either immediately before or after he stabbed her, thus minding her business “until it showed up at her door”? Is that how we protect ourselves as well as Mr. Ahkivgak? Jails and facilities for the criminally insane primarily exist for the protection of the innocent in society (or, at least, that is WHY they should exist), but they should also protect criminals from US and EACH OTHER. We clearly don’t have the resources to put all the insane in such places, or put thieves who steal a candy bar into prison for life, but when they start stabbing people in the spinal cord, I would think that society should expect focused, effective action. We can all see that there is a huge disconnect nationwide, and this judges words are (again) illustrating the source as a legal ideology. We’d better get to the root of this quickly, or we’re all screwed, and it doesn’t appear to be something that we can vote ourselves out of. Maybe what Judge Garton is hoping for is that it shows up at our door so we can shoot the problem away for her and the legal community?
Other states are “housing” Alaska’s discards in their judicial correction medical systems right now. I’ve read the anecdotes in their newspapers. They have: stuff like this every week, compassion, already built “housing” and care teams. The housing looks like prisons. They have: razor wire around them, series of electronic locking gates, flower boxes outside, levels, acute and chronic, files, “oh this guy can’t have a female walk in front of him ever again in his life”. Triggers are fearlessly identified. What can he do? Fold laundrey? Careful institutional homes are needed by some broken people. It’s the best that can be done for them.
“…….Judge Josie Garton of Anchorage Superior Court dismissed the charges, saying that Ahkivgak was never going to be competent enough to stand trial or understand the criminal Justice system.
Unless prosecutors can find a way to civilly commit him, the ruling means Ahkivgak can go wherever he wants………”
So why can he not be criminally committed, especially since he has repeatedly committed crimes? What is “civilly” committed, anyway? Can a victim of his crimes sue in civil court for him to be committed, or will the judge then rule that committing him cannot make the victim whole again? Can a random member of society sue civilly as a potential victim? Since I cannot understand this “criminal justice system” myself, am I insane? Am I free to stab who I please?
Alaska, today is the last day to vote in the primary for Rep. Don Young’s replacement! In Anchorage, the election center on Gamble St. (between Fireweed & No. Lights) closes at 8pm.
The law says a person who is mentally incompetent and accused of a felony must be committed and treated until that person is competent to stand trial. The DA must ask for this. But in almost every case, no matter how heinous, the DA office does not request this. Ask yourself why. Time and time and over and over, the judges, prosecutors and defense are colluding together to allow violent and insane criminals back on the streets to victimized and terrorize the law abiding public. The kangaroo courts will never stop until they literally forced to. There is a good case here to sue the city in a class action suit.
What makes you think you will find justice in these Administrative courts operating under Public Policy of corporations administering the debt. It has nothing to do with justice, and nothing to do with Public Law. The bottom line is how much the bonds are worth.
What a sad case. If this is representative of Alaska’s Judicial system, it is in need of serious reform. If a person commits a crime and seriously injures another person, they must be punished, regardless of their mental capacity, skin color, state of mind, etc… Where has our common sense gone?
[…] Must Read Alaska: Judge decides library stabber may walk free on Monday Angela Harris was stabbed while returning borrowed items at the Loussac Library on Sunday afternoon, Feb 13, 2022. Ahkivgak came up to her from behind in the lobby of the library as she approached the return chute. Her injuries were additionally severe because the man’s knife hit her spinal cord, causing paralysis. He had attacked two other women in months leading up to his attack on Harris, and had been released on those attacks, too. […]
Already found his picture and posted it to my friends and family feed
In addition to the mentally ill being constantly released into the public, we also see repeat felons get the revolving door treatment.
Violate the conditions of release? No problem, go back out for the 10th time.
5 year sentence? OK, report to jail after the fair is over. (surprising only to the likes of Jamgochian and his compatriots, they don’t show up)
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