White/Caucasian male Adam C. Malaby, 30, died on April 16, 2016, near Sutton, Alaska, after he was shot while trying to capture photos or video of people firing guns at a spot locals know as the Gravel Pits off Jonesville Mine Road. Alaska State Troopers said he stepped into the line of fire of another individual who was shooting a. 40-caliber pistol. First responders found CPR in progress; he was airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage and was pronounced dead there.
An obituary published in Anchorage confirmed his name and age and that he died on April 16, 2016.
The location was not a formal range; reports describe it as an informal area where people often shoot without established firing lines, a setting some nearby residents characterized as unruly and dangerous. In the days after the shooting, residents told reporters that the scene felt like the “Wild West,” and that the outcome seemed tragically unsurprising given the lack of rules and ad-hoc nature of the site.
According to initial statements from Alaska State Troopers relayed through the Associated Press, the incident appeared accidental. It was not immediately clear whether Adam C. Malaby, 30, had the shooters' permission to film or how many people were firing at the time. Early coverage noted that the case was under investigation; there were no announcements of arrests or named suspects in those initial reports.
