Palmer Suspect Ambushes Troopers, Police during Christmas Domestic Disturbance Call


Alaska State Troopers, on Monday released the names of the trooper and Wasilla Police Department officer involved in the Christmas Day officer-involved shooting that injured a Palmer suspect who opened fire on them during a response to a shots-fired call at just after midnight.

The identities of the two enforcement personnel were revealed as Trooper Caleb Lloyd and WPD officer Nate Lecours. Both are three-year veterans in their respective agencies.

MATCOM received a call from a female caller at 12:23 am on December 25th reporting a domestic disturbance. The caller soon stopped communicating with the dispatcher but left the line open. Soon, the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Joseph Frantz, was heard in the background saying he was going to kill the caller as a shot rang out.


Troopers and officers with the Wasilla and Palmer Police Departments responded to the scene and made contact at the door. The caller was taken to safety as Frantz opened fire on the officers from an ambush position, troopers reported. Uninjured, the officers returned fire wounding Frantz.

Troopers say Frantz suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

“Court Service Officers with Judicial Services are providing round the clock guard of Frantz until he is released from the hospital,” according to the report. He will be remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility upon his release from the hospital. 

Frantz is charged with four counts of Attempted Murder, three related to the officers and one to the victim of the DV incident. Troopers state that Frantz faces further charges after it was revealed that he had shot at a neighbor’s residence as troopers were responding to the scene.

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The General Investigation Unit as well as the Alaska Bureau of Investigation took over case responsibility and conducted the investigation.