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Man shoots girl in head, booby-traps home

Posted by crimeblog

Posted: June 24, 2008 - 1:46 pm

An Alakanuk man accused of shooting a 14-year-old girl in the head barricaded himself in a home and booby-trapped the front door with a gun, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Paul Morris Phillip Jr., 36, was taken into custody and lodged at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center, troopers said.

The girl, who was not named, survived the gunshot and was medevaced to Bethel for treatment, troopers said.

Troopers got the call at about 5 a.m. Sunday and headed to the scene from Emmonak on a boat. After trying unsuccessfully to get Phillip Jr., 36, to leave the house, they entered and took him into custody, troopers said. He was reportedly intoxicated.

Minutes later, they discovered the rigged weapon positioned to fire when the front door opened, troopers said. The weapon, however, did not fire when they entered.

Phillip was arrested on charges of first-degree assault and misconduct involving weapons, troopers said. More charges will likely be filed following a review of the case by the district attorney.

Phillip's 4-year-old son, who was in the home at the time of the assault, was not injured, troopers said. He was delivered to his mother's custody.

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17 July 18, 2008 - 4:58am | nslopeofw

they'll probably just send him

out to an island to reflect his crimes in the old ways.

16 June 24, 2008 - 10:43pm | taquann

Whoa did this story get side-tracked

The links below are so off the subject that it makes one wonder what people do or think after say 3:00 PM.

It is a sorry day when a young person is shot- and even worse when that person doing the shooting misses so it goes from attempted murder to assault- FOR pities SAKE

our court system needs a reality check HERE in Anc we are prosecuting those KIDS for GLUE and OUT in the REST of the state we are going from attempted MURDER to assault

WHERE are our REAL judges? where?

June 25, 2008 - 10:25am | rcast

I agree

However it's not ONLY in the Alaska Court system that this type of reduction in "serious" cases goes on.

As a former Alaska State Trooper, (and while serving a small community as a "Town Marshal", I had a case which involved a "drunk", who jerked my patrol car door open, coming across the top with a large knife yelling that "he was going to kill me", while I was taking an assault complaint from a female victim.)

Only through my quick action, (leaning back putting my feet up against the door and pushing hard, knocking him down, it was the middle of winter and there was snow and ice on the road) at the same time drawing my service weapon, pointing it between his eyes, (less than 6" away) pulling the trigger, later wondering why it did not "go off".

I arrested him and charged him with Attempted 1st. degree murder, transported him and booked him into jail.

Only to find out the next day that he was released on "O.R" (own recognition), and the charged had been reduced by the P.A. to "simple assault".

To say the least I was "pissed off", and drove up to the P.A.'S office, (exceeding the posted speed limit I'm sure), and asked him, "what the hell he was doing", reducing it to "Simple assault"?

I asked him if he even read my report, (the guy had "jerked my car door open, was coming over the top with a large knife and yelling that he was "going to kill me".)

I informed him that as the P.A. he was hired by the Town to "represent me" and that he does not make ANY CHANGES in my charges without first talking to me.

It was put back to 1st degree attempted murder and the individual pleaded to 2nd. with the stipulation that he never returns to Town while I was the Marshal.

But that is the attitude that some of these, "educated" people, (P.A. & Judges) who get into position of power think they know it all. "Second guessing the arresting officer".. Trooper R.M. "Ron" Costlow, retired?

15 June 24, 2008 - 7:06pm | BengalTiger

This scumbag definitely deserves the death penalty.

I hope and pray that the little girl makes a full recovery.

And I hope and pray that the scumbag who did this rots in hell for what he did to an innocent child!

14 June 24, 2008 - 6:51pm | WhitePride

Probably his first offense

he'll get let off with a warning and probation. Lets see how the magistrate plays it.

13 June 24, 2008 - 6:26pm | ak_sat_king

typo

thar is good not god.....

12 June 24, 2008 - 6:25pm | ak_sat_king

way out

god thing he wasnt driven a lawn mower...all h_ll would have broken loose.....

11 June 24, 2008 - 6:05pm | acrtos

i'm sure the new tigers at the zoo are hungry

just throw him in with them for dinner

June 24, 2008 - 6:09pm | High_Voltage

Only

a BengalTiger would be that hungry.

June 24, 2008 - 7:07pm | BengalTiger

I thought you were sincere the other day.

But I guess I was wrong.

June 24, 2008 - 6:11pm | acrtos

Only

a BengalTiger would be that hungry.

June 24, 2008 - 7:37pm | piper_pup

acrtos and high_voltage same person?

Same person posting under different names? I noticed this in several different posts.

June 24, 2008 - 9:05pm | ShadowLight

No, whoever is imitating

No, whoever is imitating Arctos using the account acrtos will re-post a persons comment when ever they make a comment on the fact that someone is trying to imitate arctos.

It happened to me the other day when high voltage wasn't even posting.

June 24, 2008 - 7:43pm | BengalTiger

I'm starting to wonder the same thing.

Seems like an immature kid who has nothing better to do than to play games on here.

10 June 24, 2008 - 5:41pm |

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9 June 24, 2008 - 4:23pm | Man_Dinga

..."More charges will likely

..."More charges will likely be filed following a review of the case by the district attorney. "

8 June 24, 2008 - 4:20pm | sosborne_2

Man shoots girl in head, booby-traps home

Why wasn't he charged with attempted murder?

7 June 24, 2008 - 4:07pm |

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6 June 24, 2008 - 3:35pm | akwi12

High Voltage

Are you f'ing kidding me?!?!? Yeah, he shot this girl in the head cause of energy prices. We better start to watch out then since the bush people are NOT the only ones struggling right now.

June 24, 2008 - 3:39pm | fred280403

Ummmm....

I think he was being sarcastic, dude.

5 June 24, 2008 - 3:34pm | guns_are_soooo_great

So do you think

the girl loves the ability for that dude to get hold of a gun?

I'm thinking she does not.

Guns Are Soooo Great!

June 24, 2008 - 9:20pm | dabbhall

Booz

Not any more than she does about the availability of alcohol in this village!

June 24, 2008 - 5:30pm | Miyamoto

you_are_soooo_wrong

So do you think
that people are so stupid that you can not trust them?

I'm thinking you do.

I've_never_hurt_or_threatened_anyone_with_my_firearms_but_millions_of_folks_are_murdered_with_various_other_means_every_year

June 24, 2008 - 4:04pm | bballrob_returns

Guns don't kill people...

Chuck Norris does.

www.chucknorrisfacts.com

June 24, 2008 - 4:08pm | Odin

bball

nice link!!!!!!!!!!!! haha

June 24, 2008 - 3:45pm | freefromfear

Guns ARE so great!

Guns don't kill people. Bullets traveling really really fast kill people. Guns do not act by themselves you dingbat. Use your head; God gave you one for a reason.

June 24, 2008 - 9:22pm |

Plug

deleted

June 24, 2008 - 3:57pm | guns_are_soooo_great

Who said that it is merely the gun that does the killing?

-crickets-

June 24, 2008 - 8:11pm | nosaj08

....

Say, that all guns were gone forever. Do you honestly think the killing would stop? You would have to change your name to Knives_are_soooo_great or Hands_are_soooo_great. Think about it.

June 24, 2008 - 9:21pm | guns_are_soooo_great

I have thought about that

If there were no guns, then nobody could shoot anyone. Hand-to-hand combat is a whole lot messier for the attacker, making it less desirable than a gun. That's why people like guns so much. They're much cleaner. Less chance of getting hurt.

So no, killing wouldn't stop, but it sure as heck would become a whole lot more difficult, and I'm all for that.

June 24, 2008 - 9:57pm | blackamerican08

You must have never.....

heard of BOWS AND ARROWS!!! Do you know that they had professional marksmen that could hit you directly in the head, heart, face, or anywhere on your body from THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS AWAY!! Three, little miss know everything. So what makes you think that killing people would be less desirable because guns aren't around? That is an opinion not a fact, and that ignorant and naive opinion is the most refutable opinion anybody could make. This government would have trained all the soldiers to be the most accurate bow and arrow shooters from the longest distance, and it would have trickled down to the civilians, and people would still continue to die at alarming rates. Prove that the chance of getting hurt would decrease, prove it with facts. Stope all the bogus ASSumptions and give me hard core facts if you are so sure of yourself. If guns weren't around there would be other weapons that could get used for "cleaner kills" as you put it. And the first weapon of choice, BOWS AND ARROWS, if you don't believe me take a history class on European wars and African wars before guns were created. And just for the record, GUNS REALLY ARE GREAT!!!! (No sarcasm)

June 24, 2008 - 9:26pm | dabbhall

Move

Then move to the UK or Australia and see how "difficult" it is there.

June 24, 2008 - 5:33pm | Miyamoto

I believe it was - - - YOU!

Your handle isn't irresponsible_people_who_hurt_people_with_weapons_are_soooo_great after all.

4 June 24, 2008 - 2:55pm |

Removed

This post was deleted for being off topic or violating the ADN user agreement. We encourage readers to "flag" offensive or off-topic comments for review by ADN staff.

June 24, 2008 - 4:15pm | qaluki

energy relief to the bush?

Soooooo, why don't you try and move to the bush and see what is out there. You will be the one getting the handouts and you sure as hell will get by it...hurry up for god sakes.....

June 24, 2008 - 6:59pm | alaskanjade

don't get caught up in these guys trap

it's just talk. remember when they had the big lake fire, and everyone one out there was on welfare and hardly anyone had home ins? that's right, that's right, lots of talk but they do the same thing... point the finger w/ three fingers pointing back at themselves then they all stand there complaining about bush people and the handouts. yeah right!

June 24, 2008 - 4:36pm | High_Voltage

Already

lived that life for many years. My wife and I have to stay close to the road system because we both work for a living. Been there and done that but we figured it out before it became an issue and never received any government gimmes. Didn't need them then and don't need them now.

June 24, 2008 - 6:16pm | acrtos

Already

June 24, 2008 - 6:40pm | High_Voltage

I agree

100%

3 June 24, 2008 - 2:47pm | ShadowLight

This is why public safety

This is why public safety workers should never go rushing into any situation involving an assault of unknown circumstances or an assault involving a weapon.

2 June 24, 2008 - 2:33pm | jolial

Booby trap?

Did the booby trap shoot the girl or did he maliciously attack the girl?

1 June 24, 2008 - 2:06pm | wifeyboo

first degree assault? More like attempted murder. Yuck.

June 24, 2008 - 3:24pm | Alaskan_Attitude

first degree assault

Is worded as attempted murder also! Same thing.

June 24, 2008 - 2:55pm | igloogirl

Interestingly enough

he'll get a longer sentence if they try him for assult than he would if they tried him for attempted murder. It's messed up, but that's how it works.

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Man shoots girl in head, booby-traps home