According to court documents, 29-year-old Trayton Ballot was on a three-hour flight from Anchorage to Seattle in January 2025. The victim, a 17-year-old seated next to him, said that she woke up after Ballot rubbed her inner thigh.

Four Kotzebue residents filed suit in Kotzebue Superior Court on Jan. 21. They allege the city failed to provide “safe, effective and sanitary” water and sewer to its residents, which the lawsuit describes as a breach of contract.

Kotzebue Fire Chief Funk said nine fire department staff members and two volunteers responded to the fire. The crew used a fire ladder and engine, plus two ambulances to keep firefighters warm as they worked on the fire. Funk said fighting the fire was difficult.

According to court documents, officers responded to the residence and found the victim, 57-year-old Jens Leavitt lying on his back and unresponsive. Leavitt was later pronounced dead at a local hospital from multiple stab wounds.

Charging documents say 21-year-old Dustin Gooden got into a physical altercation with the VPSOs after they tried to speak with him.

“If we feel like there is any need whatsoever, any kind of a situation that might be unsafe for our students, then we immediately will go into a lockdown,” Alexander said. “We'd rather be safe than sorry.”

Troopers identified the person who died as 46-year-old Elmer Brown. He was pulled from the water by search and rescue and medical personnel and transported to Maniilaq Health Center, but later died from his injuries.

Community members say the water has been restored. But with winter rapidly approaching, some of the 800 residents in the Northwest Arctic community still worry about the town's water situation.

There were no injuries reported from the shots fired.

Communities in Northwest Alaska have been scrambling to deal with flooding and erosion.