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Updated at 4:43 p.m. ET: FBI agents have been flown to Kodiak Island on Alaska’s south coast to try to find out who shot and killed two Coast Guard members inside a communications station.
The victims were found dead at their work areas inside the station on Thursday by another Coast Guard member. They were identified Friday as Petty Officer 1st Class James Hopkins, an electronics technician, and Richard Belisle, a civilian employee and retired Coast Guard chief petty officer.
"As an organization with roots in saving lives and a focus on protecting people, this tragic event has shocked us all," said Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District, said in a statement."My thoughts and prayers are with the victim's families, their loved ones, and the entire Kodiak community."
There is no evidence to suggest the deaths are the result of a murder-suicide, the Coast Guard said. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Sara Francis said late Thursday that all the roughly 60 enlisted personnel and civilians working at the station had been accounted for, and officials believe a third person was involved in the shootings.
KTUU
Frame grab of Coast Guard communications station in Kodiak, Alaska.
Capt. Jesse Moore, commanding officer of the base on Kodiak, said the victims likely were shot soon after they arrived for work Thursday morning.
The station monitors radio traffic from ships and planes. It is equipped with security cameras, but it wasn’t yet known if they captured any evidence, Moore said, according to The Associated Press.
The FBI said agents flew to Kodiak from Anchorage, about 250 miles away. They are working with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Alaska State Troopers and the Kodiak Police Department to investigate the shootings.
According to the AP, the shootings happened almost 11 years after another fatal shooting involving the Coast Guard on another Alaska island, St. Paul Island, which is about 660 miles west of the city of Kodiak.
A man killed a Coast Guard officer whom he believed was having an affair with his estranged wife, according to AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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The U.S. Coast Guard has always been treated like a red headed step child of the other armed forces. Lets make sure this investigation into these members murder is not also treated this way.
The US Coast Guard is the senior service, in the bad old days they were the revenuers - the federal gummint's only source of loot. Now, of course, the gummint have other ways of lining their pockets with our silver. Meanwhile, our sympathies should go to the families and friends of the victims and bringing in the FBI should ensure transparency, no matter what their investigations uncover. And NO it was neither Russian agents nor the Sasquatch.
Until you need them. I found out how great they can be one nasty day out offshore whit a boat taking on water. They have my respect and that of a lot of other people who are faced with a emergency at sea.
Well they are the red headed step children of the other armed services because they are. The Coast Guard is not part of the DoD and they are not part of the Armed Services.
Try reading a book. The US Coast Guard is the oldest maritime branch of the Armed Services of the United States. Not only IS it part of the Armed Forces (read 10 USC) but it is also a federal law enforcement agency (Titles 6, 14, 19, 33, 46). A petty officer in the US Coast Guard has the authority of a US Marshal on navigable waterways. Under 14 USC the Coast Guard is authorize to conduct military operations either under DOD or under the direct authority of the President of the United States. The only government agencies authorized to board a Coast Guard vessel without authorization by the Coast Guard are US Customs (of which Coast Guard Officers and NCOs are classified as agents) and the US Marshals. By the way, the US Coast Guard has fought in every war this country has fought since 1790 and per capita, had the highest casualty rate in WWII (think landing craft in the Pacific). Please educate yourself next time, before engaging in foolish statements.
@Ol_Doc, actually DaveWH is correct. While the Coast Guard is a Uniformed Service Member(just like NOAA) they are not a member of the military. This is seen by the fact that prior to them falling under DHS, as they currently do, they fell under The Dept of Transportation. Now, that being said, during war they are able to have control of them shift from DHS to DoD. This is in no way meant to speak down upon them or the vital role that they play in our country, it is just fact.
@army and Dave: actually, you both missed the mark quite spectacularly. Federal law defines the CG as a branch of the armed forces as well as a military service quite explicitly in 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(4):
"The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard."
and in 14 U.S.C. 1
The Coast Guard as established 28 January 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy.
So there you go, pretty cut and dry. I'm not sure where all the ignorance re: military authority is coming from, especially from an "army guy"
nopenopenope! is absolutely right. The USCG is part of the armed forces at all times. Not only that, but USCG servicemembers are regularly deployed around the world (during war and peace), and have fought in every U.S. conflict since the beginning of the service (1790). Members of the USCG are eager to serve their nation as part of the armed forces, even though they often do not receive the same degree of recogonition that members of the other armed services do.
The USCG is normally kept outside of the DOD so that they may retain their law enforcement authority. A point which Ol Doc outlined correctly.
The real problem is that two shipmates and U.S. servicemembers are dead, and some would rather direct the conversation towards the U.S. Coast Guard's legitimacy as a military branch. If you are a member of the armed forces you should be absolutely embarassed, and perhaps you should re-examine your commitment level to those that serve alongside you to keep our nation safe (not to mention brush up on your military history).
ol_doc is correct. the coast guard is military, no questions asked. they receive tricare, military retirement, have military IDs, and receive military discounts anywhere they are offered. coast guard bases are military bases. i don't understand why people think that just because the CG isn't DoD that they aren't a military service. it's not that simple.
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So, did the Polar, Black or Brown bear do it?
That's is disrespectful.
I am quite pleased to see the FBI stepped in on this as fast as they did. One of the reasons we are able to do our duty overseas is that we have the comfort in knowing that the Coast Guard and Nation Guard have our backs at home. And yes they are often overlooked and taken for granted...Salute!
Well said. They are often overlooked and taken for granted. However, the boaters and fishermen of Alaska don't taken them for granted. They put their lives in jeopardy in order to save those in distress. My hat is off to the Coast Guard and I hope and pray that they find the perpetrator who committed this senseless killing.
I can definitely say without a doubt that where I am we have a CG base and the men and women who serve are not taken for granted by Alaskans. They are right there when help is needed and they are a very respectful and friendly lot of service members. My condolences go out to the families of both victims.
I was stationed in Cordova for a couple years. The community, for the most part, supports the Coast Guard. But there was always some tension between the local men and the Coasties due intense competition for...let's say, a very limited resource. I imagine the motivation for these killings might have had something to do with that.
Dingle B; I tend to agree with you. Like you I was stationed in Alaska, but instead at Sitka. That limited source would be my guess at the heart of the trouble.
Sound like they need some Marines up there to secure this place to make sure this does not happen again.
They would need to transfer the base to the Navy to have Marine security. Coast Guard is part of Homeland Security now - if they don't have active duty Coasties for security, it would need to be civilian security. The perpetrator might be Coast Guard or base employee, so securing the base might not have prevented it.
I wonder why the FBI is investigating? The Coast Guard has their own CGIS - Coast Guard Investigative Service. It is small, but they have jurisdiction for crimes involving Coast Guard personnel or property.
Perhaps the FBI is involved because there is a hunch it was an inside job. It was a secure building, I'm pretty sure one would have needed a key card, a hand scan...or something like that.
Sad day for Alaska, just after the dust was begining to settle after the death of Samantha Koenig.
May the 2 coastguards rest in peace.
@leatherneck916, Sgt, D. Sims here! I'll help if you give me M-16 and 6 clips! Once the body is down, I might as well get some target partice before the polor bears show up to eat!!!
Theres no polar bears in Kodiak
And what a great rifle the M14 (now Mini-14) was....
The M16 is a toy...got alot of GI's killed in Nam thanks to it's horrible jamming problems.
@David Sims CSMG Bobw. An M-16 does not have a receiver for clips. They use magazines. American Socialist is correct there are no polar bears in Kodiak. So either you are full of BS or just trying to be funny. In ether case it is disrespectful to our fallen.
@American Socialist They fixed that prob with the M-16A1 by 1973. The M16-A2 was a very remakrable weapon. But the M-16 did get some guys killed.
Why did they change the M16 to a 3 round burst during the Vietnam war?
Before the M-14 was the M-1 Garand. It used clips and in my opinion, one the finest rifles made.
Random
I think that was done latter. Don't know for sure. But I would assume to cut down on the jamming problem and to prolong barrel life. I tossed my POS 16 and carried an AK myself. BTW I was USAF.
I know that the Military has changed the type of powder used,chromed the chamber and made other modifications to the 16. It seems to work rather well these days. But there is a better modification around. It goes back to a piston operated bolt like on the M1 and the M14. Less jamming and can get dirty without problems.
They switched to three round burst because the bean counters at the Pentagon noticed the ammo spent to kill ratio was much lower with full auto as opposed to semi, so in an attempt to get a better kill ratio to bullets expended(bang for your buck) they went to 3rnd burst. In all fairness this was mainly due to the soldiers of the time who were mainly draftees. More and more units are being equipped with M4A1's in place of M4's and M16A2's due to their ability to fire full auto as opposed to 3rnd burst. This is due mainly to better training and discipline insofar as the individual soldier. In other words, in Vietnam draftees would spray and pray, so they got full auto taken away. Soldiers now are more disciplined with their fire, so they got full auto back.
I wonder if the killer wanted to use the communication center for some kind of illegal communication and just needed whoever was there out of the way or if one or both of the victims were specifically targeted for somebodies personal vendetta. I hope they catch whoever did this and I'd like to express my condolences to the family and friends of the victims.
If the killer didn't have a gun he/she would have just killed them with snowballs. RIP
I am always left scratching my head at the almost desperate need to reference or tie into some completely unrelated incident that has happened years before in a completely different location.
Where's NCIS? Why aren't they on the case?!
They probably are. The do not like publicity and share jurisdiction with the FBI.
Except it is CGIS. NCIS is for the Navy.
Probably trying to stop a shipment of weed. no sympathy.
You are an a$$hole! Such disrespect is not necessary at this time.
tron - how about you go and troll elsewhere. Considering that my friend just lost one of his friends, your comments are truly not necessary or even warranted.
Hey tron - or more aptly - IDOT...Rich Belisle was a friend of mine for the past 20+ years. We were stationed together in San Diego in the early 1990's and he is as nice a guy you'd ever meet...oh, and BTW - he was part of the ANTI-DRUG TASK force. Don't make @!$%#ty comments about people you don't even know...even the speculation and off-hand comment is NOT appreciated. Rest in Peace, Rich.
one of those that passed was a good friend of mine and my husbands. Keep your negative comments to yourselves please and be respectful in this time of mourning!
For your loss ma'am. Salute!
Same with my dad. We were stationed up there for 4 years. He was devastated by the news...
Semper Paratus...
Amber it is a sad day here in Alaska. Please pass on condolences to the two people, from a community in southeast. The CG is a big part of our community here as well.
Amber....I fished pollock in the Bering Sea for a couple years, the coast guard are viewed as angles by fisherman and every Alaskan.
I have friends that would not be alive today without the Coast Guard.
I'm so sorry for you're loss.
The comments being posted here are both disrespectful and idiotic. Those of you discussing guns and joking about this should be ashamed of yourselves. 2 people have been murdered and all you can do is attempt at comedy or change the subject to something totally unrelated. If you have anything to say, be decent about it. If something like this EVER happens to you, or anyone in your families, I hope you or they get more respect than what you've shown here.
I certainly hope the people who did this are caught.
To friends and family members . . .sorry for your loss.
May they rest in peace.
I am also very sorry for you and those families and friends who were affected by these terrible murders.
Due, to the relative isolation, and small size of the community, I hopeful that FBI and local police can catch this person pretty quickly. Unless he decides to head for the bush, in which case I hope one of the gnarly Kodiak brown bears gets him.
Maybe in Alaska this is National News. But, two people being shot and killed is normal everyday activity in a lot of places.
Well, thats why people live up there...they dont want two people being shot and killed to be an everyday activity. When the Samantha Koenig abduction happened, the whole city of Anchorage was looking for her. This is why people live in Alaska, community.
People lost loved ones...show some respect.
I'm just curious does someone have to be cold hearted and disrespectful to get a PHD or do you become that way after you get one?
Not if the shooters were not US nationals. This could get VERY ugly.
@Bi Polar Wookie- Your comments have been very rude and disrespectful throughout this entire thread. I'll bet you think you are being very witty and entertaining from behind the shield of your keyboard. You are not.
If you were in trouble, members of the USCG would quickly risk their own lives and safety to help you. If you can't respect that you are a moron, and you certainly shouldn't be using PHD anywhere in your name. If you have no more productive thoughts than those that have already been posted, I suggest you keep the rest of your opinions to yourself.
As a former Coast Guard Gunnersmate I made it to Kodiak. I also have had my brother and several friends stationed there. It was always such a pleasent town and base. My condolences and sympathies for the family and friends of the slain. I hope they bring the murderer to swift justice.
Whatever, bipolar wookie, do you have Coast Guard in your home town of more than 3500? PhreakeD you are.
Incredilble that some people don't understand that other people's duty is to save, protect and defend others for their improved life. I hope the perps are found rapidly, prosecuted swiftly and punished harshly.
My youngest son (one of two sons proudly serving in the US Coast Guard) is currently en route to Kodiak, as his first duty station. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the two fallen Guardians, and with the entire family of US Coast Guard serving around the world.
My youngest son (one of two sons proudly serving in the US Coast Guard) is currently en route to Kodiak, which will be his first duty station. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of his two fallen shipmates, and with the extended family of all Guardians serving around the world.
My heart hurts looking at the picture in the head line. 40 years ago I first drove up that road the first time to start my job as an electronics tech in the transmitter building in the back ground. 35 years ago I took over as Chief in charge. I wish that I could have seen a picture of this site under happier circumstances. God bless the men and women of NOJ and may the families of these men find peace.
It does sound kinda shady that two coasties were shot inside of a communications station that has to do with communicating with ships. Plus the FBI is getting involved so there has to be more to this story.
I sure hope this was not some international incident. You know who is right next door...
As a former Coastie and wife to a former Coastie who was stationed in Kodiak, I send my sympathies and prayers to the freinds and families of these two men.
As a former Coastie and wife of a former Coastie I am deeply saddened by this loss. My prayers and sympathies to the families and friends of these men.
FBI could be involved due to the following:
Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and 2114 - Theft of Government Property
Makes it illegal to steal or embezzle any government property or to commit robbery of government property. Prosecutive guidelines are established by the United States Attorney in each federal judicial district.