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MP is a Belgian Malinois with handler, Anchorage Police Department Officer Nathan Keays. (Dollars for Dogs / February 24, 2013) |
Original (2-24-13, 11:43 a.m.): A suspect rammed an Anchorage police vehicle and a police officer fired his weapon at the suspect's vehicle near downtown early Sunday morning, and the suspect fled towards West Anchorage where a police K-9 unit then caught the suspect after a foot pursuit, according to the Anchorage Police Department.
APD spokesperson Anita Shell said that police received a report that a man, who was later identified as 34-year-old Lusia Pedro, showed a gun while driving a Dodge Charger around 3:17 a.m. Sunday.
Police spotted the vehicle near the Big Timber motel on 5th Ave and two police vehicles blocked the car in at 5th and Karluk and attempted to contact the driver.
Police alleged that Pedro rammed one of the police cars and sped away towards downtown and an officer fired his weapon.
“No one was struck with bullets,” Shell said. “As per-APD policy with all officer-involved shootings, details about the shooting will not be released for three days after an investigation.”
Shell did not say how many times the officer fired his weapon, but did say that suspect may have been hit by fragments within the car after the police shooting.
Police set-up spike strips and punctured the Charger’s tires, but the pursuit continued until officers stopped the vehicle near International and Minnesota using police maneuvers. The suspect's vehicle ended up in a snow bank and was seized by police.
Pedro then fled on foot and APD officer Nathan Keays and his police K-9 “MP” caught him.
Shell credited the Dollars for Dogs program that helps APD’s K-9 unit. "MP" is a Belgian Malinois.
Two passengers in the Pedro’s vehicle were taken in for questioning and treated and released for minor injuries.
Police said that Pedro was wanted for an outstanding federal felony warrant for probation violation on a drug related charge.
Pedro was taken to a local hospital for his injuries and will be arraigned Monday.
Update (2-24-13, 4:03 p.m.): APD arrested Pedro upon his release from the hospital and was booked into the Anchorage Jail without bail.
His charges include two counts of felony assault in the third degree and eluding along with the felony probation violation warrant.
"It was a lengthy event, and we can't go into everything that happened yet because it's all still under investigation but I think it was a quite tense and active and dynamic situation," said APD Chief Mark Mew.
The Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals oversees investigations involving APD-involved shootings and will release a finding if Sunday's shooting was justifiable.
This is the second time this year when Anchorage police fired its weapon following the Feb. 19 deadly shooting near 53rd Avenue and Windflower Street.
Contact Neil Torquiano
Editor's Note: Last line of the original story updated to reflect that Anchorage police arrested Pedro after he was released from the hospital. KTUU's Mallory Peebles contributed to this story with an interview with APD Chief Mark Mew.
