Alaska Natives in Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow, expressed outrage on Wednesday after a video surfaced on social media showing police hauling the body of a 17-year-old through a street of the village, located on Barrow Point, north of the Arctic Circle.
The video, posted by his sister, Zoey Vasquez-Adams, captures the body of Christian Vasquez, a suicide victim, being pulled on a sled behind a police vehicle, while another police vehicle with emergency lights follows closely behind.
Vasquez-Adams shared the footage to highlight what she described as the mistreatment of residents in their small village and to question the actions of the officers involved.
With the video, she posted a statement on Facebook that reads:
“I am posting this video to raise awareness, this is how we’re treated in this small village. Nobody cares about us because we are native & this is an ongoing issue (suicide) what my family has gone through today. I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone. Here’s a video of my deceased brother….
I have no respect for this community whatsoever, no I will never forgive anyone for this. I’ve posted this video before but people told me that nobody deserves to see this… This is my baby brother. So [expletive deleted] you & your piece of [expletive deleted] village. Yes I had made a complaint, the only thing I had received was an “apology for the circumstances.
Let me know who I can reach out to, this will NEVER sit right with me. My poor baby brother will forever be 17.”
Vasquez-Adams told the Anchorage Daily News she had been searching for her brother Wednesday morning after he left the house upset. They had been talking about getting him help. He hugged her and told her that he loved her.
Within hours of the video being posted, North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak released a statement addressing what he referred to as the “Ahgeak Street incident,” named after the road where it took place.
“First, we offer our prayers to the families who have lost their loved one. No one, no matter the circumstances deserves the type of treatment that unfolded soon after,” Patkotak’s statement reads. “As Mayor, I take full responsibility and am working to swiftly review and address the situation and will take appropriate action. We are all disheartened by the poor judgment exercised in how to respond to such a devastating situation.”
Patkotak began an investigation on Wednesday to find out why the Christian’s body was treated with disrespect and put on public display.
The police attempted to justify its actions by saying the officers used a sled for their safety because the gun Christian used to take his life was frozen inside his hand when he was discovered.
The mayor updated the public on Thursday by saying while “challenging terrain and weather conditions” initially required the use of an all-terrain vehicle, “there was a critical lapse in judgment for further transport on the road system to the hospital. There are no excuses for the way the situation was handled in such a rushed manner.”
The supervising officer was released from employment on Thursday.
Suicide is a major crisis in Indian Country. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Native Americans experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives across all ages. Native youth suicide rate is 2.5 times higher than the overall national average, making these rates the highest across all ethnic and racial groups.
Editor’s Note: If you or someone close to you is having suicidal thoughts, dial the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free and confidential support.
