An individual, identified by police as a “good Samaritan,” helped subdue a man with a gun who attempted to rob a Fifth Avenue Mall store Sunday afternoon.

Police responded to the mall just after noon after mall security told them a man was in their custody after attempting a robbery.

“According to employees, a young male entered the Buckle Clothing Store around noon today and asked to see several expensive pairs of designer jeans,” police said in a statement. “Employees believed the man was attempting to conceal the clothing in a bag while in the fitting room and alerted mall security.”

When the man, identified as 18-year-old Yan Bangout, tried to leave the store, mall security confronted him. Police said a struggle ensued over the bag of items, and during the struggle, the man pulled out a gun.

“However, a good Samaritan, also armed with a gun, stepped in and assisted security in taking [Bangout] into custody,” police explained.

Police said no one was hurt during the altercation, and authorities recovered $1,200 worth of items from Bangout.

Bangout faces charges of robbery, assault and theft. He is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex on a bail of $10,000 with a third-party custodian requirement, according to police.

No persons were injured during today’s incident and approximately $1200 worth of stolen property was recovered.

A People Mover Bus driver is recovering after a passenger allegedly attacked her, punching her multiple times in front of other passengers, including a 7-year-old girl.

The attack was reported to Anchorage police at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The driver, Kathy Williams, told police two men tried to board in the area of Spenard Road and Minnesota Drive, but one of them didn’t have enough money for the fare.

Williams explained that when she told him he needed to pay or get off the bus, his friend, later identified as 52-year-old Daniel Tonty, acted “flirty” and said he would pay the fare, but didn’t put the money into the fare box.

“I said, ‘I really don’t have time for all of this. I need you to put your money in the fare box so that we can go. I have a lot of people that need o transfer to other buses,’” she explained.

She said that’s when Tonty became belligerent and began swearing at her. She told him she would contact police if he didn’t leave the bus willingly. Williams said at this point he said, “fine, call the cops,” and began punching her fare box and other equipment. She grabbed her radio and was about to contact her supervisor when he took it from her and threw it out the door.

“And at that point I was just scared out of my mind. I didn’t know what I was going to do. And then he got on top of me and the passengers said he was doing this,” she said, making repeated punching motions. “I don’t remember everything, I just remember screaming and trying to get help. A passenger from the back came and pulled him off the top of me.”

Williams said she wants to thank the passenger that saved her.

“I’d like to really take him out to lunch,” she said.

The Attack Continues

The ordeal wasn’t over yet, however. Williams and her rescuer managed to get Tonty off of the bus and shut the door. Williams said he walked away but came back, but when she wouldn’t open the door, he came around to the driver’s window and tried to break the window.

Williams got her cell phone out and began calling her supervisor and others for help. She said when Tonty couldn’t get in through her window, he and the other man he boarded with walked away.

Police arrived and Williams explained everything and gave them a description of Tonty.

“I’ll never forget his face ever again. It’s implanted in my mind,” she said.

Two officers found both men a short time later, and Williams confirmed their identities to police. Tonty’s hands were bloody, Williams said, although she noted she didn’t remember seeing blood on the bus.

Tonty was charged with third-degree criminal mischief for damaging the bus, a felony, and third-degree assault for attacking Williams, police confirmed. He is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex under $2,500 cash corporate and $2,500 performance bonds.

Driver Safety

Williams was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center, where she was treated for neck, shoulder, head, arm and rib injuries, including bruising caused by the cord of her radio during her struggle with Tonty.

Williams said she thinks the situation would have ended differently had she been able to carry a device to protect herself. She said People Mover policy prohibits drivers from carrying Tasers, guns or any other weapons, but said passengers can board a bus with a weapon.

“If I would have had a Taser or some bear mace or something, I don’t think I would have gotten as hurt as I got,” she said. “I think I could have done something to get him off me but we’re not allowed to carry anything.”

Williams, who has been a driver with People Mover for almost six years, said she’s heard of other drivers who’ve been injured by passengers.

“One of my other friends, he’s a real neat guy, he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, he got punched on Halloween night and he had to go get stitches on his eye,” she said. “Passengers do things to us all the time. We’re not allowed to carry anything to protect us.”

Tonty has a criminal history that includes convictions of assault, harassment and criminal mischief. Williams said police told her they’ve had “run ins” with him before, and she’d like to see him banned from all buses and People Mover property, including the downtown transit center.

“We have a lot of drivers, but they’re good drivers, and we’re trying to follow the rules, we’re trying to keep our passengers safe,” she said. “None of us deserves this.”

KTVA 11′s Eric Ruble contributed to this report. 

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Anchorage police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at an East Anchorage liquor store late Sunday evening.

Two men with hoodies and clothing covering their faces entered the Brown Jug at 1555 Bragaw St. shortly before 12 a.m. and attempted to rob the lone employee, according to a Monday release from the Anchorage Police Department.

The thieves stole cash from the store, APD spokesperson Jennifer Castro confirmed in an email Monday, before the employee produced a gun and fired “multiple rounds” at the two suspects.

“It was reported that the suspects left in a vehicle, possibly an SUV,” police wrote in the release.

No injuries were reported as a result of the robbery and no suspects have been taken into custody.

Reached by phone Monday morning, an employee at the Brown Jug store where the robbery took place said, “We have no comment to give.”

Sunday night’s armed robbery is the fourth in less than a week in Anchorage. Last Tuesday, two separate businesses — a Money Mart and a Value Liquor – were robbed at gunpoint. Friday, an armed man robbed a Chevron gas station located on Old Seward Hwy.

“We do not know if last night’s incident is connected to the other cases. It is possible, but we have not ruled either way at this point,” Castro wrote.

If you have information, police ask that you provide an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers at 561-7867.

This is a developing story, please check back for details.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story referred to the incident as an “attempted robbery.” The story has been updated to reflect confirmation from police that cash was stolen.

Two Fairbanks brothers have been accused of illegally cutting wood on state land and then trying to sell it on Craigslist.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports (http://bit.ly/1QaYNzt ) 45-year-old Arthur Edward Hughes and 46-year-old Gerald Thomas Hughes were arraigned in court Sunday on theft charges. The judge entered not guilty pleas for the two men, who have both been released on their own recognizance.

According to a criminal complaint, Alaska State Park Rangers spotted Gerald Hughes’ truck loaded with cut firewood at the Chena River State Recreation Area.

The complaint states that a state employee arranged a meeting with the brothers in response to an ad for the firewood on Craigslist.

The brothers were arrested during the undercover operation after they agreed to make the transaction at a gas station.

___

Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The 26-year-old son of Sarah Palin was arrested in connection with an domestic violence incident.

Wasilla police were dispatched to a home on the 1100 block of the Parks Highway after receiving two phone calls. The first was a woman reporting that “a male had punched her in the face and that a firearm was involved,” police said in an affidavit. The second call was from someone who identified themselves as Track Palin.

When police arrived at the home, owned by Sarah and Todd Palin, Track Palin came outside. The responding officer described Track Palin’s behavior as “uncooperative, belligerent and evasive” while he was being questioned about the calls. The officer also noted a strong smell of alcohol and bloodshot eyes. Track Palin said he did not know where the woman who had called 911 was, and was put into handcuffs due to his “escalating hostility,” court records show.

After detaining Track Palin, officers were able to locate the woman who called 911 hiding under a bed inside the home, crying.

After speaking with both the woman and Track Palin, police were able to determine the woman was in a relationship with Track Palin, and the incident began when he became angry that she was in contact with her ex-boyfriend. The two confirmed they were arguing during a drive to the residence and in the driveway.

The woman claimed Track Palin was calling her names, and in an effort to calm him down and “to scare him away from ‘touching her,’” she told him she had called the police.

“Palin approached [the woman] and struck her on the left side of her head near her eye with a closed fist,” police said in court documents. “Palin then kicked [her] on the right knee.”

The woman said he then grabbed her phone, which was on the ground next to her, and threw it across the driveway. She was able to retrieve the phone and headed inside the residence. Track Palin was reportedly already inside the residence and had a gun. She said he yelled, “do you think I won’t do it,” among other things, and was holding the gun in a way she believed he would kill himself. She ran out and then went and hid, police said.

Track Palin denied using a weapon during the altercation, “but stated that they were spread throughout both residences on the property,” police noted.

Track Palin had an injury on his face he claimed was caused when she “threw a bow,” or her elbow, at his face. The woman had a visible head injury, according to police, and was complaining of pain in her leg.

Further investigation revealed the woman had tried to call police multiple times, but that “her phone was likely broken when it was thrown.”

Track Palin was arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault, fourth-degree misconduct involving a weapon and interfering with a report of domestic violence.

He was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Palmer court. His bail was set at $1,500 cash corporate. According to court records, he is being held at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Lance Hobson, 34, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges related to the death of 60-year-old Edmund Onalik, who died after a collision in Fairview Sunday night. New details have emerged in the case, making clearer the events leading up to Onalik’s death.

Hobson was charged shortly after the crash Sunday evening with manslaughter, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol and with his license revoked.

The Night of the Crash

According to police, Hobson was driving his Saturn sedan north on Ingra Street when he ran a red light at the intersection with 15th Avenue. A Chevrolet Silverado was going through the light at that time, and Hobson’s vehicle struck the back right corner, sending the truck into a spin. The Silverado struck Onalik, who was either in the crosswalk or standing on the median between lanes, police said. A street sign on the median was also hit.

Michael Mincks was stopped at the intersection and witnessed the crash. Before emergency personnel arrived, Mincks said he performed chest compressions on Onalik, following the instructions of a 911 dispatcher. He said he was able to revive Onalik, who was still alive when medics took him to a nearby hospital.

Mincks told police he saw a man and a woman flee the Saturn immediately after the crash. A passenger of the vehicle who stayed at the scene, Marlene Braun, confirmed his story, saying she was in the car with Hobson — who she identified as the driver — and her cousin Darlene Mishakoff, along with another male she did not know. Braun said Mishakoff and the unknown male walked away before police arrived.

The Investigation

Police were granted a warrant to test Hobson’s blood for alcohol content, but the results of that test have not been made public.

Police later made contact with Mishakoff, who confirmed Hobson was driving the vehicle when the crash occurred, according to court documents. She stated she paid for gas at a Tesoro gas station moments before the crash. Police obtained surveillance footage from the gas station, and reported the footage showed Hobson getting out of the driver’s seat, filling the car with gas and then getting back into the driver’s sear before the vehicle left the area.

The driver and passenger of the Silverado remained at the scene until police arrived, but left before police could get their statement. Police have asked the driver to contact them by calling 786-8900.

The Arraignment

Onalik’s sister, Nettie Allen, was in court Tuesday during Hobson’s arraignment and tearfully asked the judge to revoke Hobson’s bail of $10,000.

“He took a life away and he can take another life if they let him out,” she said after the hearing. “The bail was ridiculous.”

Presiding Magistrate Judge David Bauer’s assessment of the case and Hobson’s previous criminal history led him to the same conclusion as Allen — that Hobson posed a risk to the community.

“I need to consider flight risk and danger to the community,” said Magistrate Judge David Bauer. “I think the bail is set too low, I think given his history, including four assault convictions, his felony theft conviction, failure to appear, driving with license suspended… I think the bail just needs to be higher than it is to protect the public.”

Judge Bauer increased Hobson’s bail to $100,000, with an additional $5,000 cash performance and a third-party custodian requirement.

Following the hearing, Allen spoke with KTVA and provided new insights into Onalik’s life. She said Onalik had lost both of his legs when he was 16 after falling through some ice while four wheeling near Noatak. She also said he has children and was “sometimes homeless.”

“I would like people to know that my brother was a very nice guy, even though he had a very hard life,” she said.

KTVA 11′s Heather Hintze and Daniella Rivera contributed to this report.

More violent crimes like rape and murder are being reported in Anchorage, according to new data released Tuesday by the FBI.

The data only measures crime in the first six months of both 2014 and 2015, but shows 16 murders for the first half of 2015. That’s up from six during the first half of 2014. The data also shows there were 130 more rapes in 2015, and aggravated assaults went up by 242 in the same time frame.

Anchorage Police Chief Chris Tolley said those numbers are really just half of the picture, and the rise in crime isn’t just in Anchorage, it’s nationwide.

“Don’t be too alarmed,” he said. “Put it in perspective. Lets be aware of what’s going on as a national trend. But at the same time, lets take this as a call to action to make our community a safer and more secure place to live.”

Chief Tolley said since he took over the department in October, his focus is the same — growing the force.

“What these stats really tell us is that we need to make sure we continue with this recruitment effort,” he said. “And we’re so fortunate that we have a mayor and an Assembly who’s behind that effort.”

The current police academy has 17 recruits going through training, and the mayor has requested two more academies this year. In the mean time, Chief Tolley said everyone in Anchorage can help.

“Report crimes through CrimeStoppers and through the various tip lines, and also get involved in your community,” he said.

For the thousands of Alaskans who enjoy being involved by listening to scanner traffic, he said he’s not sure if or when they’ll turn their public feed back on.

“I don’t have any finalized plans on that,” he said. “The most important thing here is people’s privacy and protecting people’s rights, making sure their information is not getting out when it shouldn’t.”

Tuesday marked eight days that the scanners have been silent. APD turned their scanners off after six back-to-back armed robberies in just a few days. They said they were worried the suspects were using scanners to their advantage.

Since then, there have been five more armed robberies. So far, they’ve made arrests in two of the 11 cases.

The FBI data showed robberies were up, but not by a large number. There were 24 more robberies in 2015 than in 2014.

You can view the FBI’s yearly reports on their website.

Two men from Alakanuk were arrested after a young teen’s mother reported they sexually assaulted her and held her against her will in their home on Jan. 10.

The 13-year-old victim’s mother called Alaska State Troopers about the assault shortly after the girl came home, according to an affidavit from Trooper Mark Granda. Over the course of three days, Granda and another trooper were able to uncover what happened to the girl while she was at the home of Louis and Anthony Shelton, who both face charges for the assault.

The young girl told troopers she was at the Shelton residence and told to play video games by one of the men. At some point, 69-year-old Louis Shelton “grabbed her and pushed her into a room against her will,” Granda wrote. The two men took off her clothes and Anthony Shelton, 23, touched her in various areas and digitally penetrated her.

Troopers interviewed Anthony Shelton, who admitted to touching the victim “over the clothing and under the clothing,” according to Granda. Anthony Shelton said “he had touched [the victim] in each of the rooms of the residence to include the bathroom.”

Anthony Shelton told troopers he knew the victim was “12 or 13 years old.”

A warranted search of the home helped troopers obtain further evidence against the two men, including bloody clothing. Anthony Shelton said he thought he cut the victim with his fingernails during the assault.

Troopers arrested both men on Jan. 13 and took them to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel. Anthony Shelton was charged with single counts of first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, two counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor and kidnapping. Louis Shelton was charged with second- and third-degree sexual abuse of a minor and kidnapping.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Tips from a “variety of sources” helped the Anchorage Police Department find two Wasilla resident who had allegedly been dealing methamphetamine and the drug known as spice.

An undercover investigation was initiated following last fall’s spice epidemic, and on Jan. 15, police, along with Alaska State Troopers, raided the Scatters Way home of 46-year-old Mark Purcella and 50-year-old Carol Halley.

“Officers seized approximately 426 grams of spice, including packaging, and .45 grams of suspected methamphetamine,” police said in a statement. “They also seized packaging materials and scales used for distribution.”

The total value of the drugs seized was more than $6,000, according to police.

Halley and Purcella were each charged with two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Both were taken to the Anchorage Correctional Complex and arraigned and have since posted bail.

Possessing spice is a Class B misdemeanor under Anchorage Municipal codes. APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad said the last citation for selling spice was issued in October of 2015.

Linda Skeek

Anchorage Police Department

Anchorage police have arrested the husband of a missing woman, charging him murder in connection to her death.

Linda Skeek was last seen on New Year’s Day walking away from her home shortly after an argument with her husband, Thomas Skeek Jr.

Police ruled her disappearance ”suspicious” on Jan. 16, and four days later, conducted a warranted search of the couple’s home and vehicle.

While police wouldn’t comment on the specifics of what they found that led to his arrest, APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad said there was enough probable cause to charge him for her death. Oistad would not confirm if Linda Skeek’s body had been found.

Skeek is charged with first- and second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

Online court records show Thomas Skeek’s criminal history includes assault and protective orders, including two sought by his wife for herself and a minor. He was also convicted in Juneau of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and third-degree attempted sexual abuse of a minor.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

It’s a number law enforcement calls alarming: there were more than 300 reported rapes in Anchorage in just the first six months of 2015. The FBI released the new crime stats Tuesday, and while the numbers have gone up, some say that doesn’t mean more crimes have been committed.

The number of reported rapes grew from 193 in the first six months of 2014 to 323 in 2015.

“It’s alarming when rates go up but it also tells us something out there is working,” said Randi Breager, the domestic violence/sexual assault coordinator for Alaska State Troopers.

She coordinates the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). SART uses an approach that allows a victim to answer questions from first responders and advocates only once, minimizing trauma and making victims more likely to seek justice.

Despite the increased numbers, “we’re not necessarily thinking more sexual assaults are occurring but hopefully just more are being reported to law enforcement,” Breager explained.

“You’re holding offenders accountable if you have reporting,” said Standing Together Against Rape (STAR) executive director Keeley Olson. “If you don’t hold offenders accountable, you have serial rapists in the community who are doing a ton of damage with nothing being done.”

The state of Alaska and advocacy groups like STAR have been working together to educate communities about preventing rape.

The Green Dot program, for example, shows bystanders what to do if they suspect a sexual assault may be happening, to “either intervene or in some way work to change the climate so that it’s not acceptable to commit sexual assaults,” said Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) executive director Lauree Morton.

Many of the programs target youth, teaching respect and healthy relationships.

“We just want to create a space where you wouldn’t even think about committing a sexual assault and we think that starts with young people,” Morton said. “I think that our prevention efforts are starting to work and this is the time that we really need to move forward and strengthen those efforts.”

Law enforcement officials said it’s also important to keep crime statistics in perspective. There were 323 reports of sexual assault, but multiple reports can come from one incident. Also, some of the reports may have come from incidents that happened in years past but if they were reported in 2015, they’d be counted for that year and not the year the crime actually occurred.

STAR runs a 24-hour crisis line, which can be reached by dialing 907-276-7273.

Updated at 12:38 p.m.

Anchorage police say the stolen utility trailer has been found.

Original story

Anchorage police are asking for the public’s help in locating a stolen utility trailer.

The 2004 white trailer with Alaska license plate “4014SR” was stolen from a lot on the 600 block of W 54th Avenue at around 6 p.m. on Jan. 19, according to a release from the Anchorage Police Department.

Police say the truck used to steal the trailer was also stolen. That truck was located by APD about two hours later in the area of Arctic Boulevard and International Airport Road. The truck was unoccupied and the the trailer was no longer attached, APD says.

Anyone who’s seen the trailer or has seen a trailer fitting the description recently in their neighborhood is asked to call police at 561-STOP or online at Crime Stoppers.

Andy Nitchman / KTVA 11

Andy Nitchman / KTVA 11

Andy Nitchman / KTVA 11

Daniella Rivera / KTVA 11

Updated at 12 p.m. Jan. 21

One of the drivers involved in the Jan. 11 wreck on the Glenn Highway that injured multiple people, including a 19-month-old who was ejected from a car, has been charged in the incident.

Paul Martin Duke, Jr., 58, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault and six counts of third-degree assault.

Duke was also charged with DUI after a preliminary investigation of the collision found that he was “driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision,” APD says. ”Duke has not been taken into police custody at this time as he continues to receive medical treatment following the collision.”

A warrant has been issued for his arrest, police say.

Updated at 6 p.m. Jan. 11

A multi-vehicle crash on the Glenn Highway has closed the inbound lanes of the highway near the Bragaw Street exit.

The crash was reported at 2:15 p.m., according to Anchorage police spokeswoman Anita Shell. Four vehicles were involved, and multiple people were injured, Shell said.

Police said a Ford F-150 pickup truck was traveling outbound on the Glenn Highway before the Bragaw Street exit when it crossed the median and into oncoming traffic on the inbound side, colliding with two sedans and a van.

At least four victims were transported to nearby hospitals, including an infant.

“A 19-month old child riding in one of the sedans was ejected while still strapped into the car seat,” a statement from police said.

Shell said it was not clear how seriously the victims were injured. Medical personnel have transported at least one victim from the scene, according to Shell.

A statement from police said drivers along the Glenn Highway can expect delays while emergency personnel are at the scene. Shell said the closure could last at least three hours. Inbound lanes between Boniface Parkway and Airport Heights Drive are closed.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

A man suspected of burglarizing two businesses in a community outside Fairbanks, Alaska, was identified after locking his keys in his car.

North Pole Police Chief Steve Dutra says surveillance footage recorded the 27-year-old man loading stolen items Jan. 6 into the trunk of his car.

He is suspected of taking $6,000 in items from a laundry and a fitness business.

The surveillance footage shows the man maneuvering his car closer for easier loading. Later video shows a cab pulling up to help unlock the car.

Police obtained the man’s cellphone number and name from the cab company.

Prosecutors on Wednesday filed criminal charges of burglary, felony theft and misdemeanor mischief charges. A warrant has been issued for the man’s arrest.

The incident was first reported by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Saturday marks two years since 31-year-old Aylett Hanson was killed in Anchorage.

Anchorage police are asking anyone with information on the case to come forward.

Hanson was last seen on Jan. 22, 2014 around 4:30 p.m. when he left his residence, located a few blocks away from where he was found dead the next day.

Police say, just before 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2014, Hanson was found inside of his vehicle in a parking lot in Spenard. Police say it appears the Anchorage man was fatally shot.

“If you have information as to the person(s) responsible for the death of Aylett Hanson, please call Anchorage Police at 786-8500,” APD said in a release.

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.

An Anchorage man has been charged with seven counts of sex trafficking in connection to what prosecutors are calling “a statewide prostitution enterprise.”

Terry Lee Keehn II, 42, was indicted Thursday by an Anchorage Grand Jury following a months-long investigation that began in October 2015 when the Alaska Bureau of Investifation received information from the FBI that there was a suspected sex trafficker operating out of Wasilla. The FBI provided the ABI with a telephone number of the suspect, which investigators found to be used by Keehn.

On Jan. 13, the ABI’s Special Crimes Investigation Unit made contact with Keehn in his vehicle near his Anchorage residence. Authorities had a warrant to search the residence, Keehn and his vehicle.

Charging documents say investiators seized 138 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of heroin. Keehn was then taken into custody and charged by the U.S. Attoreny’s Office in relation to the seized drugs.

Also seized were computers and cell phones.

“A forensic examination of those devices revealed a recording that Keehn had made of himself persuading a young woman to be trafficked in his prostitution enterprise,” charging documents say. “Keehn told the young woman ‘I have girls. I’m a pimp.’”

Keehn went on to say he had “an incall spot in Anchorage and Wasilla” — which charging documents note are “places of prostitution maintained by sex traffickers.” In the video, Keehn tells the woman she could make money in the Valley and Fairbanks.

“Evidence subsequently uncovered by SCIU indicates that Keehn was successful in his attempts to recruit and traffic the young woman in the video,” the indictment states.

Keehn faces three counts of second-degree sex trafficking and four counts of third-degree sex trafficking.

Charging documents reveal Keehn has no criminal history in Alaska but has extensive criminal history out of state.

A 16-year-old boy was taken to the hospital after he was shot unintentionally Thursday night in Wasilla, Alaska State Troopers say.

Around 11:30 p.m., troopers say they responded to a home on Mutiny Circle after getting a report of a male with a gunshot wound.

After investigating, troopers found that a 17-year-old male had been holding a loaded firearm when it discharged, striking the 16-year-old.

The victim was taken to Mat-Su Regional Hospital for non-life threatening injuries, according to an online trooper dispatch.

“Alcohol and controlled substances are determined to be a factor,” troopers said, adding the investigation is ongoing.

A Bethel woman who fatally injected her father with heroin will spend up to two years in prison.

The District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that 35-year-old Shannon Cooke was sentenced to six years in prison with four suspended and three years of probation.

Prosecutors say 56-year-old Thomas Tungwenuk had never used heroin before he asked his daughter to inject him in September 2014. Cooke had been living with her father in Anchorage.

Cooke called 911 after her father began sweating and experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. He later died at a hospital and Cooke told investigators that she’d injected him with the drug.

Police found 1.5 grams of heroin in Cooke’s possession.

Cooke pleaded guilty in April to criminally negligent homicide and misconduct involving a controlled substance.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Three teens are facing charges related to the death of 27-year-old Joshua Sours III, who was shot to death in Kotzebue early Friday morning.

Kotzebue police responded to reports of a shooting victim on the 500 block of Second Avenue just after 1 a.m. They found Sours suffering from a gunshot wound and transported him to a nearby hospital, where was pronounced dead.

On Monday, three teens — 17-year-old Brandon M. Nelson, 18-year-old Tony Jackson and 19-year-old Frank J. Jackson Jr. — were arraigned for second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence.

The Fairbanks Police Department is warning business owners to make sure their security systems are working following seven overnight burglaries of local shops.

FPD Investigator Andrews Adams said the burglaries happened sometime late Sunday evening into the early morning hours of Monday.

“The suspects in each case forced entry into the businesses where they only remained for a matter of minutes before fleeing in a dark colored sedan,” police said in a statement.

Adams said the vehicle’s make and model have not been determined, as the vehicle is seen “as a shadow” in one of the businesses’ security footage. The number of suspects involved was also not immediately clear.

Tools, computers, credit cards, checks and laptops were reported stolen during the crime spree.

Fairbanks police issued this statement for business owners in the area:

Fairbanks Police Department is asking local business and homeowners to ensure existing alarms are active, doors secure and surveillance systems are up and running prior to departing the premises for the day. We also encourage property owners to invest in low light camera systems. Such devices can be extremely beneficial in these types of cases in helping identify the perpetrators.

Anyone with information on the burglaries or the suspects involved is asked to contact Adams by calling 907-450-6478 or emailing him at acadams@ci.fairbanks.ak.us.