Sand Point police officers found themselves in a life-or-death struggle on Sunday after a fishing vessel captain attempted to escape a drug seizure and confronted officers with a hatchet.
On Sept. 1, at around 1:50 pm, Sand Point Police Department officers were guarding a docked, unoccupied fishing vessel that had been seized as part of an Alaska State Trooper–led drug trafficking investigation.
When the boat’s captain boarded and tried to flee, officers quickly followed him onto the vessel. As they breached the bridge, the man pulled out a hatchet, turning the confrontation into what authorities described as an attack with a deadly weapon. Faced with the threat, a Sand Point officer opened fire, striking the suspect.
The man received immediate emergency medical care and was later medevaced for further treatment. No officers or bystanders were injured and the man appeared to have survived. He has not been identified by Troopers yet.
A subsequent search of the vessel uncovered approximately 600 grams of methamphetamine and 35 grams of heroin. Troopers estimate the street value of the drugs in Sand Point at nearly $1 million.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation has taken over the officer-involved shooting inquiry at the request of the Sand Point Police Department. Once completed, the findings will be independently reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions.
The incident highlights the high stakes of drug trafficking in Alaska’s remote communities—and how quickly a tense standoff can escalate when someone brings a hatchet to a gunfight.
Another drunkard fishing boat captain. This time, the cops got their deadliest catch.
I don’t get it. The cops shoot the guy and then give him emergency medical treatment and a medevac. Send the cops back to the shooting range for more practice so there’s no need for this waste of money.
Too bad that the hatchet man survived.