A man is dead following an officer-involved shooting late Monday night in East Anchorage, according to the local police. Anchorage Police Department (ADP) Chief Sean Case said at a Tuesday morning press conference that two officers pulled over a vehicle near the 300 block of Bragaw Street shortly after 11:30 pm.
The car was reportedly stopped for having at least one headlight out. As the officers approached the vehicle, the officer on the passenger side observed a firearm in the driver’s lap area. Following a brief verbal exchange with the vehicle’s occupants, the officer used their weapon, fatally striking the driver.
Whether the driver attempted to move the weapon or posed an immediate threat remains unclear. The APD has not identified the driver nor confirmed whether anyone else was in the vehicle at the time.
Lester Morgan, who lives nearby, has been calling for a civilian oversight committee since the death of his son in a different police altercation. He also stated that he did not hear the police telling the victim to drop the weapon before the shooting.
Chief Case recently explained that the police department does not need such a committee. APD has not released the identity of the deceased driver or confirmed whether any other individuals were in the car. The department’s crime scene team remains active at the location. No officers were reported injured in the incident. Further details will be released as the investigation develops.
