Three officers involved in fatal shooting named

MAT-SU -- Alaska State Troopers have released the names of three officers involved in Sunday's fatal shooting of a 20-year-old Valley man, who reportedly fired upon them in a shootout at a Meadow Lakes apartment.

The troopers involved in the shooting were identified Tuesday as Fish and Wildlife Protection Trooper Daryl Magnuson, 36, and Alaska State Troopers Odean Hall and Nathan Bucknall, both 27. Magnuson is stationed in Big Lake and Hall and Bucknall are both stationed at the troopers' Palmer post, troopers said.

A fourth trooper, Robert French, was also at the scene, but did not fire his weapon, trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson said.

The three troopers are all relatively new Alaska State Troopers. Magnuson and Bucknall were hired in August 2000. Hall, a recruit, graduated from the Department of Public Safety Academy in June, according to Wilkinson.

The officers involved in the shootout were put on a 72-hour administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure, Wilkinson said. The officers participated in stress debriefing Tuesday evening, Wilkinson said, which determines if the men are fit for duty.

On Wednesday, the three troopers were cleared to return to duty the following day, according to Wilkinson.

William Diego Morrison was found dead three hours after he and troopers exchanged gunfire at the Locksley Loop home of his girlfriend, 18-year-old Tina Robinett, and their 5-month-old son, troopers said.

The four troopers were called to the Pittman Road-area residence at approximately 8 p.m., after they received a report that Morrison had assaulted Robinett.

This was apparently not the first time Morrison had assaulted his girlfriend.

According to court records, Robinett filed a domestic-violence restraining order against Morrison on Aug. 22 in Palmer District Court. The day before, Morrison had threatened to shoot Robinett, her son and a female roommate, according to a court affidavit written by Robinett.

The 18-year-old mother reported the threat to troopers, the court filing stated, then met up with Morrison later on the road. Robinett said Morrison pulled out a gun and aimed it at her car.

Morrison, who also had two outstanding warrants against him, had not been served the restraining order before he was killed, court records showed.

Morrison was also convicted of assaulting Robinett last year after he grabbed her by the wrist and made her hit herself on the side of the head, according to court records. He was angered, charging documents stated, because his girlfriend bought herself a pair of earrings.

Morrison's other convictions included a drug conviction last year for buying cocaine from a drug informant in Big Lake, and assault and resisting arrest in March 2000 after an altercation with troopers in which Morrison reached for a knife, court records stated.

Morrison, who was also known as "Red," and "Carrot Top," served time in prison and had made it known he did not intend to return.

"He wasn't going back to jail. Mr. Morrison made that very clear," Wilkinson said.

After troopers arrived at the Meadow Lakes apartment Sunday, they found Robinett, the baby and a 20-year-old woman had fled the lower-level duplex apartment, leaving Morrison inside, troopers said.

Wilkinson said the troopers summoned Morrison, who appeared with a Norinco Mac 90 assault rifle. Morrison was ordered to put the weapon down, but instead he advanced on the troopers while still holding the gun.

Retreating behind a parked vehicle about 20 feet away, troopers Magnusun and Bucknall again ordered Morrison to drop his weapon.

Troopers French and Hall then arrived at the Meadow Lakes apartment, Wilkinson said. Hall approached the scene through the woods about 60 feet away.

Standing in the apartment doorway, Morrison reportedly opened fire on the troopers and they fired back, Wilkinson said. The troopers fired approximately 25 times, Wilkinson said, and Morrison shot off 10 rounds with his assault weapon.

Morrison disappeared inside the home. At around 11:30 p.m., he was found dead on the floor of the apartment.

An autopsy by the state medical examiner determined Morrison died from a single gunshot wound to the neck, troopers said.

"The state medical examiner said Morrison died within minutes. The bullet struck his jugular vein," Wilkinson said.

Ballistic tests indicated the shot appeared to have come from a trooper's 40-caliber Smith and Wesson sidearm, Wilkinson said. However, he said, testing has not yet determined which trooper fired the deadly shot.