Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance has not yet issued an apology to the family of a man who reportedly lunged at a police officer while brandishing a knife, and ended up shot dead, as the officer pulled his weapon out and defended his own life.
Earlier in the summer, LaFrance immediately apologized to the family members of another knife-wielding person, but this time LaFrance has not yet issued a statement that police were wrong to shoot the perpetrator.
The incident went down starting at about 7:12 p.m. on Sept. 29, when Anchorage Police Department officers were dispatched to the 500-block of N. Park Street after a man called 9-1-1 and said there had been an emergency and that someone was hurt. The location of the encounter is in the Mountainview neighborhood, where violent crime is a regular occurrence. The University of Alaska says Mountainview is the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in America. Bystanders said the man was of Samoan heritage.
One officer arrived near the scene and was waiting for backup. Additional officers were en route along with the city’s Mobile Intervention Team when a man suspect holding a knife began to approach the officer.
The officer backed away and directed the suspect to drop his weapon, according to Police Chief Sean Case. However, the suspect continued to move toward the officer with the knife, eventually running at the officer. The officer discharged his weapon striking the suspect in the upper body at least once.
This was the fifth fatal shooting by an Anchorage police officer in 2024. The incident was captured on both a body-worn camera and patrol car dash cameras. No officers or any other civilians were injured in this incident, police said.
Anchorage Police performed life-saving measures on the suspect until Anchorage Fire Department medics took over and transported the suspect to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
A reporter at the press conference held at midnight asked the police chief if the incident would contribute to the lack of trust that the public has in the police. Police Chief Case said the police officer did everything he could to avoid shooting the suspect.
Watch the press conference here:
According to policy, the Alaska State Office of Special Prosecutions will review the officers’ use of force and determine whether it was justified. Once that has been completed, APD Internal Affairs will review the officers’ actions to confirm whether there was any violation of policy. It is APD practice to place the officer who discharged his weapon on administrative leave for four days; his or her name will be released 72 hours after the incident.
Sub-optimal results, according to kin
“A reporter at the press conference held at midnight asked the police chief if the incident would contribute to the lack of trust that the public has in the police.”
It’s impossible to over estimate how stoopid, or diabolical, leftwing “news” (propagandist) reporters are.
Lunging at a cop or any armed person with a knife….is the very definition of FAFO
What’s wrong with the mayor is she pro crime or anti crime?
Two similar crimes two different responses.
Also they found a few million lying around to buy pick ups and a couple of graders. Part of her platform was for better snow removal so I want my street plowed within two days.
Lets make this very simple for the people with sub 75 IQ can figure out. IF you come at a member of the public or a Public Safety Official (Police/Fire) with a weapon (Yes a knife is a weapon so is a bat) you are committing attempted murder or aggravated assault at the least. Alaska Statue allows citizens to use lethal force in this situation to save their life or the life of another.
Attack cops with objects get sent to morgue or hospital this is an easy situation to comprehend. I don’t feel bad for people the cops have to put down like a wild animal.
Not knowing what procedures are, what staged events are performed at police academies, or what deterrence options the police have on their persons as a matter of daily armament, I would have thought that pepper spray and/or a taser would have been used first.
“A reporter at the press conference held at midnight asked the police chief if the incident would contribute to the lack of trust that the public has in the police.”
Actually it contributes to my lack of trust in people raising their children to obey laws, and obey the police when given a directive.
I’m waiting for the family to bemoan how good a person “so and so” was, with that liberal tabloid ADN coming out with a sad story. Of course, KTUU will jump on the bandwagon.