A woman fatally shot from outside a motorhome Monday at an Anchorage park had come to Alaska from Hawaii for a fresh start, according to her sister.
Police say they’re still investigating the killing of Kikite Leu Fatu at Mountain View’s Davis Park, and had no further details to release Friday. No arrests have been made.
Samantha Fatu, Kikite’s sister, said in an interview Friday that Kikite, 29, hailed from a large family.
“She had like 12 brothers and two sisters, and she was – she was the baby,” Fatu said.
After Kikite got into trouble in her home state, Samantha said she brought her to Anchorage. For a while, she lived with Samantha and her daughter at her Karluk Street home.
“She was doing great until she got into some friends she knew from back home,” Fatu said. “So she was on the streets.”
Samantha said Kikite was not homeless, however, and continued to visit her home for meals and showers.
Word of her shooting at the park, which police said currently hosts a homeless encampment, reached the family at about 8 p.m. Monday. According to Samantha, Kikite was in a motorhome belonging to a friend at the time. Police say she was taken to a local hospital, where she died that night.
Samantha said the news was “very shocking and sad,” especially given Kikite’s positive attitude toward life.
“She did everything that she wanted to do, and she did it with a smile,” she said. “And she didn't deserve to – you know.”
Investigators have been in close contact with Kikite’s family ever since the shooting.
“The police have been such a big help,” Samantha said. “They've been checking up on me, and just giving me information. As soon as (they’re) getting information about the investigation, they let me know.”
Police have asked anyone with information about Monday’s shooting to call them at 311. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online through Anchorage Crime Stoppers.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated Kikite Leu Fatu's age as 33, not 29.
