Bodycam Shows Police Fatally Shoot Armed Man Holding Hostage

In a press conference on Friday, the Fairbanks Police Department said prosecutors will not file criminal charges against FPD Sergeant Gregory Foster for fatal shooting James Robert Richards, Jr., 28, of Fairbanks. Richards was fatally shot in the summer of 2016 after he allegedly threatened people, fled from police, and took a hostage. In the press release issued by the Office of Special Prosecutions, officials investigating the actions of Foster say they did not aim to "determine if Sgt. Foster's conduct was appropriate under any applicable use-of-force policy." Instead, the inquiry was limited to a simple decision of whether or not criminal charges were appropriate. According to investigators, they are not. "At the time of the fatal shooting, Sgt. Foster reasonably believed that Mr. Richards was attempting to flee from a recently committed violent assault and while fleeing, had taken a hostage. Under these circumstances, criminal charges are not appropriate," Supervising Assistant Attorney General Robert E. Henderson wrote in a statement.