I don't think the article is correct.  Could you please provide the statute.

AS 11.81.350e1 covers car jacking, which this is not.
AS 11.81.350e2  requires that "another person, other than the perceived offender, is inside of the vehicle".  Even though there was a passenger, I wouldn't think an accomplice count as "another person".

AS 11.81.350(e) a person (2) outside of a vehicle may use deadly force upon another when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it is necessary to terminate what the person reasonably believes to be the theft of that vehicle when another person, other than the perceived offender, is inside of the vehicle; this paragraph does not apply to a person outside of a vehicle who is involved in a dispute with a person inside of the vehicle who is a household member of that person; in this paragraph, "household member" has the meaning given in AS 18.66.990 .