Names of officers in K-9 fatality case released

WASILLA — Names of the officers involved in a pursuit that led to the fatal shooting of Helo, the first Alaska State Trooper (AST) K-9 to die in the line of duty, have been released. Alaska State Trooper Christopher Havens, Helo’s partner, is a 5.5-year AST veteran and Antonio Aldesperger has been with the Palmer Police Department for more than three years.

Helo, a six-year old Belgian Malnois, and Havens had been partners for the past 3.5 years. The two officers and Helo were involved in an early Sunday morning pursuit which led to the arrest of 25-year old Almando Abarca of Palmer.

According to AST, Abarca led police on a high speed chase through Palmer before stopping near the Parks-Glenn highway interchange around 5:30 a.m. At that point, police state Abarca exited the vehicle and began firing at the officers and K-9. Both officers returned fire striking Abarca in the shoulder. AST stated Helo was hit by Abarca’s gunfire multiple times and died at a local veterinarian several hours later.

Abarca was on probation from a 2014 incident in which he was involved with the theft of an ATM machine from a pawn shop near Wasilla.

He appeared in Anchorage Superior Court-Third District Wednesday facing a total of four felony charges—two counts of third degree assault, first degree harming a police dog and eluding police. According to reports, Abarca also failed to report for drug and alcohol screening, to report to his probation officer to appear for a court hearing. He remains jailed on a $20,000 cash bond.

During his service to the department, AST stated Helo was responsible for a large number of drug seizures, more than 110 arrests, including 95 felonies, and assisted on 14 suspect apprehensions.

AST statewide K9 coordinator, Captain Randy Hahn acknowledged all patrol dogs are assigned protective vests.

"They don't wear them all the time; it's situational. It depends on the circumstances whether or not it's something of an obviously higher level of risk that the handler feels is necessary to put it on," Hahn stated to an Anchorage TV news reporter shortly after the shooting. "There are some circumstances where we don't want the dog to wear a vest."

Hahn said doing so could provide perpetrators something to potentially grab on to.

Troopers have yet to decide whether to replace Helo.

An outpouring of support, financial and emotional, from Alaska and elsewhere has found its way to AST as word of the shooting spreads. The organization has asked the public not to make financial donations to online fundraising sites.

The Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers has agreed to accept donations to the K-9 program for those wishing to show support adding AST is not actively soliciting donations related to Helo.