Early Christmas morning, a woman armed with a hatchet was fatally shot by Juneau police after advancing on officers in a parking lot, despite a failed attempt to subdue her with a taser.
The incident occurred at 5:25 a.m. on Dec. 25 at the Valley Breeze-In, following reports of a disturbance involving a woman threatening people with a hammer.
Juneau Police Department officers arrived on the scene and encountered the 30-year-old woman in the parking lot. Holding a hatchet, the woman ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon and began advancing toward the officers.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, one officer deployed a taser, which struck the woman but failed to stop her approach. As the woman continued toward one of the officers with the hatchet, an officer discharged their firearm, fatally striking her.
Emergency medical personnel from Capital City Fire/Rescue were dispatched, but the woman was declared deceased at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured during the incident.
The Juneau Police Department and the Alaska Bureau of Investigation will conduct an investigation into the shooting. The State of Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions will review the findings to determine whether the use of lethal force was legally justified.
Per JPD policy, the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. Their names will remain undisclosed until they have been formally interviewed as part of the investigation. The woman’s next of kin has been notified.
never take a hatchet to a gun fight.
Thats a fact Jack. Pew Pew beats stick most times. JPD just saved the taxpayer a ton of money.
First rule of law enforcement:
At the end of your shift make sure you go home alive.
Use of lethal force was justified in the shooting. The Officers tried to use non-lethal force that did not work and had to resort to the use of lethal force. If this investigation takes longer than a couple of days something is wrong with the investigators.
That’s methed up….
About 1978 to 1980 the American people decided to close most of our state run mental institutions in the mistaken belief the patients were being so badly abused they would better off on the streets. This experiment is not going well. Simply providing the mentally retarded a place to pile up is not going to cut it. They are in dire need of professional and loving constant supervision. Anything else is just plain abuse.
Bravo bravo bravo.
capt lewis…you are my hero😂😂😂😂😂