Black/African American female Liyana Woods, 19, was found fatally shot on September 15, 2024, in the Fairbanks–North Pole area of Alaska. Memorial records list the 19-year-old's death in Fairbanks on that date, marking the sudden end of a young life whose name would soon appear among the city's roll of gun violence victims.
According to local reporting drawn from charging documents, a 17-year-old male friend was present when the gunshot rang out. He called 911 and initially told dispatchers and responding officers that the 19-year-old had accidentally shot herself while handling a firearm. Investigators did not accept that account at face value. Within days, the juvenile was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of the 19-year-old.
The case situated the 19-year-old's death at a residence in the North Pole area, just southeast of Fairbanks, underscoring how closely intertwined the communities are when tragedy strikes. Public memorial listings corroborate the basic framework: the victim's name, age 19, the Fairbanks location, and the September 15, 2024 date. With the juvenile charged, the legal process moved into the courts, and no other suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the 19-year-old's killing.
