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Charles Hedgers

Age : 32

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/08/2025

Location : West Hollywood Road and South Sylvan Lane

City : Wasilla

County : Matanuska-Susitna

State : Alaska

Agency : Alaska State Troopers

Officer(s) :Trooper Nicholas Blanchard

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during arrest attempt

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/08/2025, shortly after 1:00 p.m., multiple Alaska State Troopers went to a property near West Hollywood Road and South Sylvan Lane in Wasilla to arrest 32-year-old Charles Hedgers on an outstanding parole warrant. Hedgers' warrant stemmed from the continuing supervision of a 2014 criminal case involving thefts in the Palmer and Wasilla area. Hedgers had pleaded guilty to a second-degree weapons-theft charge, served a prison sentence and was subsequently placed under community supervision.
When troopers arrived, Hedgers ran from the property on foot. Troopers pursued him, and Hedgers entered a motorhome on a neighboring property and barricaded himself inside its bathroom. Troopers surrounded the motorhome and repeatedly ordered Hedgers to come out. Alaska State Troopers later said officers issued numerous commands over a period of several minutes before deciding to breach the bathroom door.
Troopers forced open the bathroom door. The initial Alaska State Troopers account stated only that officers discovered Hedgers armed with a handgun and that Trooper Nicholas Blanchard fired because of Hedgers' actions. Subsequent investigation provided a more specific police account, alleging that Hedgers was holding a loaded handgun and pointing it toward Blanchard and another trooper when the door was breached. Blanchard then opened fire, striking Hedgers. Investigators identified the weapon attributed to Hedgers as a Kimber Micro 9 9mm handgun.
Troopers provided emergency medical treatment while awaiting EMS. Paramedics transported Hedgers to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body was sent to the Alaska State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety identified Blanchard three days after the killing. He had been an Alaska State Trooper for approximately one year when he killed Hedgers and was placed on seven days of administrative leave following the shooting. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation conducted the criminal investigation, after which the case was submitted to the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions for independent review.
On 10/16/2025, the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions completed its review and declined to prosecute Blanchard, concluding that his use of deadly force was legally justified. Prosecutors accepted the investigative account that Hedgers was pointing the loaded handgun toward Blanchard and another trooper when Blanchard fired.
Blanchard had only approximately one year of service with the Alaska State Troopers at the time of the shooting.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2025/08/09/troopers-wasilla-kill-armed-man-barricaded-bathroom/
https://dailydispatch.dps.alaska.gov/Home/DisplayIncident?incidentNumber=AK25079411
https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-08-11/trooper-fatally-shoots-armed-man-hiding-in-wasilla-motorhome
https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2025/08/11/trooper-fatally-shoots-man-barricaded-in-motor-home-bathroom-near-wasilla/