Alaska trooper who shot man is identified by state
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Thom D. Gruenig, 38, died of wounds to his chest at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. His mother, 66-year-old Kathryn Gruenig, was found stabbed to death inside their home off College Road.
Troopers released Tellep’s name Friday, three days after the shooting, per Alaska Department of Public Safety policy.
The veteran trooper, a former major crimes investigator, drew praise from the director of troopers for protecting emergency medical workers who were called to the scene on Hess Avenue about 7:30 a.m. Tellep was required to take three days of leave.
Kathryn Gruenig apparently called 911 after she was stabbed but was unable to speak to the dispatcher. Her death is under investigation and her dead son is the only suspect, according to authorities.
Multiple marijuana plants and canisters of nitrous oxide were found inside the home where Thom Gruenig dwelt, according to authorities.
A friend of Gruenig who asked not to be identified said he studied aikido, a Japanese martial art, and liked role-playing games.
Gruenig was employed with the U.S. Census Bureau and had worked various jobs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the past.
Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7544.
I would very much like to see the community, the State gov't, the Dept PS, and AST working hard together to provide LEOs like Tellep other options. Just because it's been standard practice to this point, just because LEOs are presently trained to this standard only, doesn't mean that's the way it always has to stay.
Thom loved Aikido. He incorporated its precepts of peace and equanimity into his daily life, in the years that I knew him. He was always gentle with people, helpful, considerate, and respectful. This is the Thom I knew. I was profoundly shocked by his death and murder of his mother precisely because he believed so genuinely in peace.
On a different thread, silenttrees mentioned that he and others refuse to believe that Trooper Tellep had no other option than to fatally shoot Thom.
In theory, yes. In fact, Aikido teaches how to block and counter the motions of an assailant with a knife who intends to stab. It teaches how to use an assailant's own movements to his detriment, and with minimal injury to the assailant.
In practice? No. I still think no, in this case, under these circumstances, Trooper Tellep had no other choice than to shoot as he did. Center of mass. Dead. Thom and he were never more than 5 feet apart. Trooper Tellep would have been seriously injured, or killed, had he done anything differently, given the training that he has. Even if it had been Sensei at the door, instead of Trooper Tellep, the outcome would have undoubtedly been the same, if he had been holding a gun. Self-preservation is instinctual. You cannot fault anyone for caring more about their own survival than the survival of someone who's trying to kill them. You can't blame someone for choosing to defend themselves with the best weapon available when their life is in imminent and deadly peril.
Yeah, ok maybe Trooper Tellep had other options. He also could have chosen to get seriously injured or killed. He chose to survive. I'm glad he did.
You did what was necessary; I am very pleased you were unhurt.