Troopers still quiet about who shot 10-year-old girl

WASILLA — Alaska State Troopers released more details regarding last week’s shooting of a 10-year-old girl who was out picking berries.

The girl was shot Aug. 2 near the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road. Troopers got wind of the shooting when they were called to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage where the girls’ family had brought her.

At the time, troopers wouldn’t release much in the way of information, saying they didn’t want to compromise their investigation.

Monday, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the girl was shot by one of the people in her party.

“It looked like the girl was going into the woods to go to the bathroom, she used a different route out than she used in,” Peters said.

The person with the gun fired, not thinking the girl would be there, and the girl was struck in the head.

Asked about the extent of the girl’s injuries, Peters said she couldn’t say.

“She was treated at the hospital, it didn’t kill her,” Peters said. “It turned out to be non-lethal.”

Any more information, Peters said, will not be released until after troopers have been told whether charges will be filed.

“Our investigator will give his report to the DA and they will make a determination on it,” she said.

—Andrew Wellner