During a news briefing on Monday morning, Anchorage Police Department Chief Bianca Cross revealed that a 25-year-old man lost his life in a chaotic fatal downtown shooting early Saturday. The incident, which also left another man injured and the suspected gunman wounded by police, was captured on numerous surveillance and cellphone videos. Chief Cross stated that detectives are currently reviewing “hundreds” of videos linked to the tragic event.
According to the police, Kaleb Eugene Bourdukofsky faces charges related to the shooting of Joe and another unidentified man who survived and was hospitalized. The shootings occurred after a brawl outside a nearby bar, as per the charges.
Bourdukofsky, aged 22, has been accused of murder, weapons misconduct, and assault. A criminal complaint filed in Anchorage Superior Court states that police shot him as he attempted to flee. Chief Cross mentioned on Monday that he was in stable condition and under the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.
As of Monday afternoon, records from the state Department of Corrections indicate that Bourdukofsky remained hospitalized and had not yet undergone his initial court appearance. The shootings occurred around 2:30 a.m. in an area less than a block away from police headquarters.
According to the criminal complaint, officers responding to reports of gunfire observed a male carrying a firearm running through a parking lot situated off Third Avenue between G and H streets. Initial police reports indicate that two officers discharged their weapons, striking Bourdukofsky in the upper and lower body.
Chief Cross stated that officers refrained from employing less-lethal tactics due to the potential risk to public safety. She further noted that there were “multiple” bystanders present in the vicinity at the time of the shooting.
“He was observed running with a gun in his hand amidst an ongoing fatal shooting incident,” she remarked. Bourdukofsky was shot in the vicinity of G Street and Third Avenue, as previously stated by the police. Subsequently, law enforcement discovered Joe deceased from multiple gunshot wounds in an alcove behind the Pioneer Bar, as detailed in the criminal complaint. Another individual was shot in the leg while positioned behind the bar and was subsequently transported to a hospital, as indicated by the charges.
According to witnesses, Joe and Bourdukofsky were engaged in a confrontation just moments before the shooting occurred. However, it remains unclear how the two individuals came into contact with each other that night. Police stated in a written statement on Monday that the specifics of the argument and whether Joe and Bourdukofsky had any prior acquaintance are still being investigated.
As per the police department’s protocol, the officers implicated in the fatal downtown shooting have been placed on administrative leave. The Office of Special Prosecutions for the state will conduct the investigation. This incident marks the second police-involved shooting in Anchorage within a month.
