A 46-year-old Alaskan Native man, Patrick Changsak, was found fatally wounded in his home in the small Yukon River village of Russian Mission, Alaska, on February 5, 2024. The night unfolded under a shadow of tragedy when, at approximately 6:09 p.m., authorities were alerted to the shooting incident at Changsak's residence. The local Alaska State Troopers received word and later confirmed that the victim had sustained a gunshot wound to the shin.
He was quickly transported to the village clinic, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The community was stunned; one witness recounted seeing a 45-year-old local man, Richard Pitka, stepping onto Changsak's porch carrying a rifle. Moments later, a gunshot rang out, followed seconds after by another. A former health aide who arrived after the incident reported seeing Pitka holding the victim, a haunting image that lingered in the still northern air.
In the tense hours that followed, Russian Mission residents took swift action. They detained Pitka and held him in the close-knit community until Alaska State Troopers could fly into the village. The response had been delayed by inclement weather, which prevented immediate aerial access. When troopers finally arrived the following morning on February 6, Pitka was formally arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
At his arrest, Pitka offered an unlikely explanation: he claimed he had entered Changsak's home to leave the rifle for safekeeping, and while sitting there, the rifle discharged on its own. Troopers, on examining the weapon, questioned that narrative—finding that for the rifle to fire, its hammer must have been cocked back and the safety deactivated. In other words, it could not have discharged accidentally as Pitka described.
Authorities confirmed that Changsak's remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy, and next of kin were notified beyond the small village bounds.
Thus, the evening of February 5 transformed from ordinary to tragic in this remote Alaskan community. A 46-year-old Alaskan Native man, Patrick Changsak, lay fatally wounded in his home. A 45-year-old man, Richard Pitka, was swiftly detained by residents and, following challenging response conditions, arrested and charged with second-degree murder. His claim that the rifle misfired on its own was incongruent with the mechanical reality of the weapon, leaving investigators convinced the shooting was anything but accidental.
