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
Thanks for this comment, Tim. It perfectly reflected my thoughts. I trust the police perfectly to shoot anybody attacking them with knives, and with such shootings on camera now (which criminal apologists also demanded), these shootings will be ruled as justified with boring regularity.
First rule of law enforcement: make sure when your shift is over you go home alive.
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.
“………I would have thought that pepper spray and/or a taser would have been used first………”
Not with firearms, edged weapons, or (I believe) blunt force weapons. They are legally ruled as lethal weapons, so lethal force is justified.
People need to be educated, not ideologically indoctrinated, and people need to be trained to control their emotions, not to let their emotions lead them into deadly trouble.
Research the 21 foot rule. Your ignorance is showing
And you have to be close enough to use those…too close if they failed to work. The gap that a person can close when welding a knife is much too close for comfort. Pepper spray is 6-12 feet and a taser about 25 feet; those distances can be achieved in 2 seconds or fewer by the average person. As the only officer at the scene, a gun is the best choice IMO.
First rule of law enforcement: make sure when your shift is over you go home alive.
Would the use of rubber bullets when officers are being shot at make you “feel better” about less serious means of handling the situation?
Considering that you freely admit that you know NOTHING about procedure, training etc., you somehow still feel compelled to tell the officer how to do his/her duty, while his/her life is being threatened by a man with a lethal weapon. Monday morning quarterbacking is not helpful, as it can easily lead to preconceived conclusions, which may not ever fit the facts.
“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.
Don’t trust the Assembly or Mayor. Support the police officers who are working hard to protect the citizens of Anchorage. Not sure about the Police Chief. Keep up the good work men and women in blue! Continue prayers for all of you.
Another individual who was “turning his life around.”
The entire civilized world knows what happens when you rush an American cop with a knife or wave around a gun in front of the cop. As it should be. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I see nothing wrong here, except from the member of the local media. Good shoot.
Up next: where the family goes on Channel 2 or the Daily News to cry that their baby didn’t do nothing. It’s all so predicable.
Rule Number 1. It is VERY easy:
FOLLOW COMMANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Questions?
Country has gone madd. Drugs alcohol and weak family’s and this is the result. Stop the drug problem and 3/4 of this insanity will stop. Only 1 way to stop the drug problems and it’s a bloody one for a short while.
Thankfully the officer was proficient at immobilizing the threat.
Training was useful and the chances of a repeat offender are minimal.
Hopefully anyone else with motives to act out in the same manner will be deterred by the outcome of this incident.
Well one less welfare recipient the taxpayers have to support.
I’ll wait for the autopsy.
No need. Statistics show that bad guys with twice as many holes in them are only half as dangerous.
Doesn’t surprise me. She was on the Assembly when a woman was stabbed at Loussac Library a couple of years ago, and she didn’t even acknowledge it happened. She never contacted the person or was there any effort to help in anyway. She and the current assembly are worthless. She does as she is told, usually by Chris Constant. Word on the street is Constant sent an email to all directors right after the election outlining his expectations from them. WOW, pretty brazen but maybe Anchorage residents will get sick enough of their incompetence they will be voted out.
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