Man in custody at Kotzebue jail accused of assaulting corrections officer

A 27-year-old man accused of assaulting a correctional officer while in custody at Kotzebue’s jail is facing attempted murder charges.

Kotzebue Police Department received a call at about 9:45 p.m. Saturday about an emergency at the Kotzebue Regional Jail, according to a sworn criminal complaint signed by Officer Christopher Buege.

The incident began when officers were alerted that Kenneth Foster, who had been arrested a few hours prior, “was threatening self-harm,” according to a written statement from the police department. A Kotzebue Municipal Corrections Officer entered the cell to intervene, the statement said. Foster resisted, and a physical fight ensued, according to the release.

When Buege arrived at the jail, he said, he saw Foster fighting with 66-year-old corrections officer Lorin Downing in one of the cells, the complaint said.

Buege said he observed that Foster wrapped his arm around Downing’s neck so Buege intervened to defend Downing from strangulation, according to the complaint. When the police officer restrained Foster, Downing was able to escape the cell, the complaint said.

Downing was transported to Maniilaq Health Center with marks on his neck and other injuries after the assault, according to the complaint. His condition was not immediately available Monday.

He told officers that Foster threatened to kill him during the altercation, the complaint said. He also said he fought back and struck Foster several times to stop the attack, it said.

On Saturday, Foster was initially jailed on charges of third- and fourth-degree domestic violence assault reported about three hours before the incident at the jail, according to charging documents filed in the assault case.

The Kotzebue Regional Jail has a capacity of 12 prisoners and serves Kotzebue and surrounding villages, according to the City of Kotzebue website.