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 Victims of Thursdays shooting at the Kodiak
Coast Guard Base Richard Belisle (second from left), and Coast Guard Petty
Officer 1st Class James Hopkins (second from right), are shown in this July 2,
2011, photo along with Jim Wells (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody
Beauford (right), as they work to erect a 120-foot communications antenna on
Shemya Island. U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA2 Charly Hengen
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The
FBI has confirmed that they are investigating the deaths of two Coast Guard
employees Thursday morning in Kodiak as a double-homicide. Bureau spokesman
Eric Gonzales did not identify a suspect, who is still at large.
The
victims have been identified as Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James
Hopkins, an electronics technician, and Richard Belisle, a civilian
employee and retired Coast Guard chief petty officer.
The
two men were found shot to death in one of the buildings at Communications
Station Kodiak by coworkers when they arrived between 7 and 8 a.m. Thursday.
The
ComSta is a high security area, responsible for radio communications
across the North Pacific and Bering Sea. Coast Guard Captain Karl Moore said
because of the sensitive nature of the area, there are several video
surveillance cameras in the vicinity. He said the FBI will be reviewing them.
Since
the killings took place on federal property, the FBI has jurisdiction. Military
police, the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Alaska State Troopers are
assisting.
Security
patrols at the Coast Guard base and the surrounding residential neighborhoods
have been increased, but the base, and Petersen Elementary School which is on
base, are open today.
Rear
Admiral Thomas Ostebo, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District,
said a number of crisis response personnel and resources have been sent to
Kodiak to assist the victim's families, friends and coworkers to cope with the tragic
event.
Coast
Guard Base Kodiak is the largest in the nation, with about 2,000 military personnel and
civilian employees.
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