Man shot and injured in recent police shooting – Suspect in murder case in homeless camp, police say

Updated: 36 seconds ago Published: 52 minutes ago

A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries Friday after he was shot by Anchorage police in the Post Road area near Ship Creek, police said. Police Chief Sean Case said the man, whose identity has not been released, is suspected of committing a murder at a homeless encampment on Thursday and was shot in a gun battle with police on Friday.

In a brief news conference Friday, Case said police were called shortly before 4:30 p.m. with information about an armed man on a bicycle in the 200 block of Post Road and that police have reason to believe the man is the suspect in Thursday's fatal shooting at an encampment just off East 5th Avenue near Karluk Street.

Officers ordered the man on the bicycle to stop, Case said.

“The suspect did not do so and continued riding his bicycle,” Case said. Officers pursued the man in their vehicles, caught up with him and the man was standing next to his bicycle, Case said.

“An officer exited his vehicle, began giving commands to the suspect, noticed a weapon, began giving commands to the suspect to drop the weapon, and also attempted to gain more distance,” Case said. “A significant amount of time passed during which the officer gave commands to the suspect, the suspect then turned around and fired at least a single shot in the direction of another officer and a civilian vehicle. The officer giving commands then fired multiple shots.

“The suspect fell to the ground. He then stood up and fired at least two more shots at an officer and an unmarked vehicle, after which the officer who fired first returned fire, which prevented the suspect from firing,” Case said.

The man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

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Anchorage police have shot and killed seven people since May. Case noted that there were 14 murders in the city during the same period. There have been 20 murders in the city this year.

“Our officers are under extreme pressure and are being closely watched, and yet they continue to put themselves in harm's way and do their job of keeping this community safe,” Case said. “The suspect in tonight's shooting was, in fact, the suspect in yesterday's murder.”

Police released few details about Thursday's shooting, but said a man had been shot inside the camp and they were searching for a suspect. They released a photo of a man riding a bicycle who was described as the suspect.

[An overview of Anchorage police shootings in 2024]

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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