Convicted child abuser killed by troopers after armed standoff near Whittier

A man convicted of sexually abusing a child was shot and killed by Alaska State Troopers on Thursday, days after he vanished rather than face sentencing — armored, masked, and pointing a gun at officers from an anchored boat near Whittier.

Philip Phillips, 58, of Wasilla, had been on the run since a Palmer jury convicted him July 8 of first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and first-degree harassment, for conduct in 2020. When he failed to appear, troopers issued a no-bail warrant and a public bulletin seeking him.

A SWAT team found him Thursday evening on a boat at anchor. He refused to negotiate his surrender, and when troopers used less-lethal tools and chemical agents, he responded by putting on body armor and a gas mask, then pointed his handgun toward officers. SWAT members fired and killed him. No officers were hurt.

As with any officer-involved shooting in Alaska, the case now goes through a two-step independent review — an investigation by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation followed by a separate prosecutorial review to determine whether any officer's actions were justified. The officers involved are on administrative leave, with their names to be released within 72 hours.