On Thursday, while working at his desk, Anchorage Assemblyman Keith McCormick looked out his window and saw what he described as a shocking act of lawlessness: a person attempting to set fire to a building across the street.
McCormick quickly snapped a photo and dialed 911, but was placed on hold for four minutes. During that time, the individual poured gasoline under the building’s overhang and on its doors. Inside, employees worked at their desks, seemingly unaware of the danger smoldering just beneath them.
McCormick shared his experience on Facebook: “Across the street from my office, right now. A person is attempting to light a building on fire with gasoline. Broad daylight. (911 notified).” He added, “This lawlessness is becoming normal, and that’s a crazy thing to say. We need to stop turning a blind eye. The people of Anchorage deserve to feel safe; whether they’re walking to work, picking up their kids, or just trying to live their lives.”
The suspect fled before emergency responders arrived. Witnesses described the individual as possibly male or female, wearing mismatched clothing typical of Anchorage street vagrants, and possibly a headscarf. Despite the severity of the incident, neither the Anchorage Fire Department nor the Anchorage Police Department released any public information or alerts related to the event. The Fire Department, which is typically active on Facebook, made no mention of the arson attempt or their response.
Online reactions to McCormick’s post were swift, with commenters expressing frustration at the state of public safety in Anchorage:
- “Poor guy just needs a Tiny Home.”
- “Hmmm. How can we blame Trump for this?”
- “Anchorage started out as ‘Tent City’… It’s going to end up as ‘Tent City.’ I’m so happy I moved from Stanchorage 15 years ago and relocated to the peninsula.”
- “And people wonder why so many are moving out of Anchorage.”
- “Yesterday on 5th Ave, a homeless man jumped into traffic in nothing but underwear. That’s indecent exposure. If a working person did it, they’d be arrested. But here, the homeless get a free pass. The Assembly has turned Anchorage into a circus of double standards—and voters keep putting the same clowns back in charge.”
As crime and vagrancy continue to plague Anchorage, many residents say the situation is becoming not just frustrating, but dangerous.
McCormick’s Facebook page can be found at this link.
First off, we need a name change to accurately reflect our new city. I am thinking Sea-Anchor. Since the Anchorage Assembly is a carbon copy DNA equivalent to the radical Communists running Seattle, well, it seems fair. I can’t wait for Anchorage’s new government-run grocery stores and a neutered APD. Suzy will keep you safe. We can all stand in line together waiting for our rations. What’s that Johnny Cash song? I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when
I’m stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin’ on
Yeah, that one ….
Tankorage
Soon enough, it’ll be “open-season” on these nut jobs. Soon enough, you won’t have to apply for a draw permit and/or pay for a license … it’ll just be a wink-n-nod. Soon enough, Alaskans are ultimately going to get sick-n-tired of the lawlessness and take matters into their own hands to effectively cut this cancer from our society. Soon enough, this matter will be taken care of.
Why don’t you start.
You talk a good game.
You’re wasting your time calling 911.
Under Alaska law, a person may use lethal force to stop arson of an occupied dwelling or building:
AS 11.81.350
(b) A person may use deadly force upon another when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it necessary to terminate what the person reasonably believes to be the commission or attempted commission of arson upon a dwelling or occupied building.
Great a mad arsonist roaming around midtown (looks like a bolshevik to me)
Catching them should be a top priority for APD.
Has anyone interviewed the Fire Marshall on this incident?
Wonder if this will be on the evening TV news tonight? After all, it could give our liberal administration a real black eye politically, and we know just how much our local media hates to do that!
Gasoline plus the can is expensive. How could a homeless person afford this or was it given to him/her? Needs some looking into but I doubt anyone cares enough.