The Anchorage Police Department released the names Wednesday evening of two officers involved in a fatal shooting on Sunday, July 1.
In a press release, A.P.D. said the officers who fired their weapons in the shooting were Officer Michael Jones and Officer Bryan Heinz. Both officers were place on a mandatory 72 hour leave after the shooting per APD policy.
Anchorage police say 59-year-old Harry Smith pointed an airgun, designed to fire BBs and pellets, at police before officers shot and killed him.
APD responded to a home at 9000 Noble Circle just before 8:00 p.m. to a call of a despondent man who was threatening to kill other people in the house and himself.
Officers arrived carrying "less-lethal" 40mm rounds, but ended up firing on Smith with their conventional guns, after he pointed a handgun at police, APD said in a press release.
Investigators later determined Smith was wielding a Smith & Wesson .177 caliber airgun, which looks very similar to a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol, APD said.
Smith was taken to an area-hospital with critical injuries and was pronounced deceased.
