Anchorage Police Shoot and Kill Burglary Suspect on Huffman Road

An Anchorage police officer killed an armed burglary suspect in South Anchorage on Thursday. The shooting occurred near the Carrs grocery store on Huffman Road after a physical altercation between an officer and the suspect.

Officers first responded to a report of a burglary at a business on Lore Road just after 10 a.m. Police Chief Sean Case stated that the specific business was not named at the press conference. Hours later, at approximately 1:30 p.m., officers tracked the male suspect to the Carrs store, a location at least four miles from the initial scene.

Case explained that officers used security footage from the burglary location and video from inside Carrs to locate the man. The footage showed the suspect entering the store and exiting through the back door. Officers recovered a discarded piece of clothing the suspect had worn and several stolen items. A witness directed an officer to the suspect, who then made contact with the police.

According to Case, the officer and suspect engaged in a physical struggle that ended with both on the ground. The suspect produced a gun and fired one round. A second officer arrived as the round was fired and shot the suspect once. Officers provided medical aid, but the man was declared dead at the scene. Body cameras and vehicle dash cameras recorded the incident.

Case noted that the incident reflects a rise in property crimes in the city. He described the burglary as a crime causing havoc within Anchorage. The state Office of Special Prosecutions will review the shooting to determine if the use of deadly force was legally justified.

The man’s name will be released after next of kin are notified. Department policy places the officer who shot the man on administrative leave, and their name will be released after 72 hours. The police department will hold a second press conference in about a week to provide more details on the tracking methods used.

Anchorage police have shot nine people this year, five of whom died.