Alcohol appears to be at the center of the shooting death of an off-duty Nunapitchuk Village Police Officer (VPO) in Napaskiak.
Court documents indicate that a Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) was called to the scene of a shooting on Sunday morning. When VPSO Greg Larson arrived at the house, a nine-year-old boy came out, saying that his older brother had shot a man. When Larson went inside, he found Kyle Wassillie, a 26-year-old off-duty Nunapitchuk VPO, lying in the entryway with a bullet through his chest and stomach area. His breathing was shallow. Nearby, Larson found the young boy’s brother, Adam Williams, age 19, “passed out drunk.” VPSO Larson handcuffed Williams and another adult, Corey Nicholai, 18, who was also found intoxicated in a back room. Neither woke up.
Court documents indicate that the rifle suspected of firing the bullets was found in the kitchen. An empty cartridge was found by the body, and some large empty bottles of vodka were also found in the house.
Health aides tried to revive Wassillie, but he died at 9:35 a.m. An hour after VPSO Larson arrived at the house.
After they awoke, both Nicholai and Williams admitted they had been drinking earlier, but said that they had no memory of the shooting. Court documents indicate that there is a witness who confirms the young boy’s account about his brother. Adrian Andrew is a neighbor who called 911 after witnessing the shooting through a window.
Adam Williams faces charges of murder in the first degree. Williams’ bail is set at $100,000 cash plus a court approved third-party custodian. He does not have a prior record.
Johanna Eurich is a contributor for the Alaska Public Radio Network.
