Last updated at 8:37 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8
An Anchorage police officer was stabbed shortly after 12 a.m. Wednesday during an altercation with a man officers were attempting to subdue.
In a release sent shortly after the incident, the Anchorage Police Department wrote that they were called to a Carrs-Safeway store, on East Northern Lights Boulevard, at 12:07 a.m. in response to a disturbance between a man and woman. Officers contacted both of them — but the man refused to listen.
At a brief mid-morning press conference, APD Capt. Ken McCoy said when officers moved in on Armando Walker, 26, he began moving his hands inside of his jacket. According to McCoy, officers thought he might be armed. He was instructed to move his hands out of his pockets, which he did, but was combative.
“A citizen actually attempted to help the officers subdue him,” McCoy said. “The male was so violent and combative, they were unable to get him under control.”
Police tased Walker twice, but he continued to fight until additional officers arrived and assisted.
After the man was arrested, an officer discovered he was injured. APD said the officer suffered injuries to his hands and had been stabbed. Chief Chris Tolley said that out of respect for the officer’s family, the agency is not releasing the officer’s name, but it will be provided in charging documents against Walker.
At the press conference, APD said the 32-year-old woman was being assaulted by Walker when police were notified. She was taken to police headquarters for questioning, but when she arrived she realized she had been stabbed, too. McCoy said she received immediate medical attention and was in surgery at the time of the press conference.
“From preliminary investigation, what we can tell is that she was leaving the supermarket and the male, who she knew but did not come there with her, was trying to follow her and get into her car,” Tolley explained. “She went back into the store to gain refuge, safety among the store employees. So, the call was called in by the store employees.”
At the time of the incident, Walker was wanted on warrants for criminal mischief and assault. Wednesday, he was booked at the Anchorage Correctional Complex for those charges, but additional charges for Wednesday’s violent altercation were expected to be filed. His arraignment is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
“Each and every night most of our citizens go to bed and sleep safe in their homes, but the APD mid-shift officers are out on the street dealing with a select group of individuals,” Tolley said. “This group of individuals are ones that are disturbed and struggling and do things that, quite candidly, put our community at risk. Fortunately, we have officers, fine men and women, who deal with these individuals. It’s unfortunate; these individuals only care about themselves. They don’t care about what kind of harm that they cause to others and, quite candidly, you know, the suspect is very fortunate that he didn’t get hurt more by being shot or something like this and that other measures weren’t taken to apprehend the suspect.”
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
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