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.