Last updated at 6:43 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18
A large group of SWAT and other officers from the Anchorage Police Department spent hours Tuesday evening talking to an armed man who barricaded himself inside a vehicle on East 68th Avenue.
The man, later identified as 31-year-old William Hopster, barricaded himself inside his vehicle just after 4 p.m., according to police spokeswoman Renee Oistad. She said they had received reports around noon that Hopster had a gun and “had made threats to harm himself, others, and officers.” They first located him just after 2 p.m. and confirmed he was armed, which was against the law for him as a convicted felon.
Still image of the suspect from a video shot from a nearby home. Courtesy Lilliana Cornelius
An APD release stated that unmarked vehicles followed Hopster until 4:11 p.m., when officers attempted to stop his vehicle by conducting a traffic stop, but he rammed their vehicles with his own. Hopster failed to obey verbal commands from the officers, “and the standoff began,” according to Oistad.
The standoff ended just before 10 p.m. Police deployed gas inside his vehicle earlier, but he stood up through the sunroof of the car, holding a gun to his head. He also fired a round through the windshield of his vehicle and tossed another gun outside. Police shocked him with a Taser because he was armed and then took him into custody, according to court records.
East 86th Avenue was closed between Askeland Drive and Stella Place until the situation was finally resolved. Oistad said “a variety of tools and tactics” were considered by police.
“Hopster was evaluated by medics who were on scene during the entire ordeal,” Oistad said. “No one was injured including the officer whose vehicle was rammed.”
Hopster faces multiple charges, including four counts of third-degree misconduct involving weapons and one count of resisting arrest.
Oistad said several nearby homes and businesses were evacuated during the standoff.
The suspect being taken into custody. Courtesy Lilliana Cornelius
KTVA 11′s Daniella Rivera contributed to this report.
