--- title: "‘This is a tragedy for our entire team’ — Alaska airman killed in armed confrontation with police" description: "An Alaska-based airman died on Thursday after local police shot him for brandishing a shotgun in front of them. The airman, 26-year-old Tech Sgt. Gage Southard, was assigned to 673rd Communications Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson." date: "2020-01-24" modified: "2020-01-24" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "Senior Reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza.md" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/alaska-airman-killed-by-police/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Around the World" - "Military Branches" - "News" - "United States" tags: - "justice" --- # ‘This is a tragedy for our entire team’ — Alaska airman killed in armed confrontation with police ![]() An Alaska-based airman died on Thursday after local police shot him for brandishing a shotgun in front of them. The airman, 26-year-old Tech Sgt. Gage Southard, was assigned to 673rd Communications Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, base officials said in a statement sent to Task & Purpose. "The loss of Tech. Sgt. Southard is devastating," said Col. Patricia Csànk, Joint Base Commander. "My deepest condolences and prayers are with Tech. Sgt. Southard's wife and family, and his fellow Airmen. This is a tragedy for our entire team." According to a [dispatch]() from the Alaska State Police, state troopers responded to a domestic disturbance report at a house in Palmer, Alaska at about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. When troopers got there, a woman with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries and two children left the house, the dispatch said. The woman told police that Southard was in the garage armed with a shotgun. Soon after that, Southard drove out of the garage and out of the neighborhood in a Dodge Journey SUV, the dispatch said. Police officers from Wasilla attempted to stop Southard on the Palmer Wasilla Highway, but he drove into a ditch and soon got out of the SUV "brandishing a shotgun," the dispatch said. Police shot Southard at around 2:50 a.m., according to the dispatch. Despite efforts by first responders to save him, Southard died shortly afterwards at a local hospital. The incident is under investigation by the Alaska State Troopers' General Investigative Unit. Southard's neighbor said the airman was a very polite man, according to the local news station, [KTUU](). "It doesn't make any sense," the anonymous neighbor was reported as saying. "He was always very aware and respectful to his neighbors. He was a gentleman." ## Author David Roza is a senior reporter at Task & Purpose with extensive experience covering aviation, technology, military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and a range of other personnel matters.David previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025 before returning to Task & Purpose as a scriptwriter for the team's YouTube channel. Share tips and story ideas with David at david.roza@recurrent.io. ## More - [Naval Special Warfare member shoots and kills intruder at Alaska installation]() - [Watch an Oklahoma airmen get arrested after leading police on a 180-mph motorcycle chase]() - [At least 30 rescued in Alaska floods as military teams rush to remote villages]() - [Search continues for ‘armed and dangerous’ airman who fled Dyess Air Force Base]() - [Slain Gunman Who Shot 2 Boston Police Officers Was An Extreme Case Of Stolen Valor]() - [Former airman shot and killed by Indianapolis police while streaming pursuit on Facebook]() - [Two-star Air Force general found not guilty of sexual assault, guilty on other charges]() - [Air Force identifies veteran shot and killed during Capitol riots]()