The Juneau Police Department was following up on an assault that occurred on July 14, when an officer contacted a downtown well-known homeless vagrant, 35-year-old Steven Kissack. The entire incident, involving JPD and an officer, was captured by people nearby on video and posted on social media. Various people in Juneau held a candlelight vigil for him.
At the Juneau Assembly meeting, city manager Katie Koester called it a tragedy. Others said it was a tragedy the man had been enabled to live as he did for so long, camping on downtown Juneau sidewalks. He has a long criminal record involving trespass, illegal camping, and violation of conditions of release.
Alaska Department of Public Safety provided an account: While trying to get Kissack to submit to an investigation, Kissack, , during the contact Kissack produced a knife and refused to follow orders from the officer. The Juneau Police Officer requested additional law enforcement officers in the area to respond for assistance, and a Juneau-based Alaska Wildlife Trooper and several JPD Officers responded to the scene.
Officers negotiated with Kissack for several minutes encouraging him to drop the knife he was brandishing, however, he continued to refuse commands. Juneau Police Officers deployed less-lethal bean bag-style rounds to encourage Kissack to comply with the orders of the officers.
Kissack soon charged officers while brandishing the knife. Multiple law enforcement officers discharged their weapons, striking Kissack. Several shots were fired. Despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement on the scene and EMS, Kissack was declared deceased at a Juneau area hospital. No law enforcement officers or bystanders were injured. Kissack’s body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. His next of kin have been notified.
The Juneau Police Officers who discharged their weapons have been placed on administrative leave. The Alaska Wildlife Trooper who discharged their weapon has been placed on 72 hours of administrative leave in accordance with DPS policy, and their names will be released in three days.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigating agency. Once their investigation is complete, it will be independently reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions to determine if the lethal use of force was justified.