Mar. 3—Alaska State Troopers on Saturday identified the trooper who they say shot a man advancing toward him while armed with a knife earlier in the week in Wasilla.
Toma Caldarea, who has been with the agency for 20 years, was the trooper who shot and injured the man in Wednesday morning’s encounter, Alaska State Troopers said in an online report.
Troopers were called to a home on Stacy Street shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a fight between two men, according to the agency. A responding trooper detained one of the men in a patrol vehicle, and while they were talking, a second man emerged from the home armed with a knife, troopers said.
“The Trooper gave repeated commands for the male to drop the knife; however, the male continued to approach the Trooper while brandishing the knife,” troopers wrote. “The Trooper shot the adult male due to his actions.”
He sustained serious injuries from the gunshot and was taken to a hospital, according to troopers, who said no one else was injured.
As of Saturday, no charges have been filed against any of the parties involved, troopers said. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation took over the case and is continuing its investigation. The shooting will also be reviewed independently by the state Office of Special Prosecutions.
Caldarea was placed on administrative leave for 72 hours, following Alaska Department of Public Safety policy.