The Savoonga Village Public Safety Officer 0pened an investigation after receiving a report of an attempted shooting in a residence in the village on Friday.

The investigation would determine that after opening fire in the home, Josephine Waghiyi, age 36, stole an additional rifle and took off on an ATV firing the weapon as she drove. Waghiyi spotted the VPSO and approached them while they were stopped at a residence. After approaching, she pointed the weapon and took aim at the VPSO. She was only stopped from firing by another person on an ATV when they rammed into Waghiyi causing her to fire in a different direction.

Village Police Officers responded and pursued Waghiyi by ATV through the village. During the chase, Waghiyi, at one point, turned her vehicle around and attempted to ram a pursuing VPO but that officer successfully avoided the collision but crashed as a result suffering seious injuries.

The suspect was ultimately taken into custody by the VPSO and community members. 

Troopers flew into Savoonga and took Waghiyi to Anvil Mountain Correctional Center and she was remanded there on charges of assault, theft and misconduct involving weapons.

The injured VPO was medevaced for treatment of injuries.

  arrest, assault, savoonga, vpo, vpso, waghiyi, weapons