Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)
Fri Mar 14, 2014, 10:39 AM Mar 2014

'Into the Wild' hunter fatally shot by police in Alaska

Police said Gordon E. Samel, 52, who played a small but important role in author Jon Krakauer's book about wanderer Chris McCandless, which was made into a movie by Sean Penn, on Sunday fled police who had approached his vehicle in response to a report about possible drunken driving.

"As the state trooper knocked on the side of the pickup to contact the occupants, it drove off and circled around several small businesses in the area," an Alaska State Trooper report said.

It said Samel then led law-enforcement officers on a high-speed chase along the city's main thoroughfare, briefly against traffic, and at times into lightly populated residential areas before he was ultimately blocked at an intersection.

When a state trooper and a Wasilla police officer approached the truck on foot, Samel backed up the truck toward the officer, prompting both the officer and trooper to fire their handguns, the report said. Samel was declared dead at the scene.

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/into-the-wild-hunter-fatally-shot-by-police-in-alaska

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»'Into the Wild' hunter fa...