Last updated at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 26
A Wasilla man and a K-9 died Sunday after a shooting involving Alaska State Troopers, according to an online dispatch.
The incident began around 2:50 a.m. during an attempted traffic stop in the area of Bogard Road and Helen Lane in Wasilla, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters wrote in the dispatch. She said the Subaru Legacy continued driving at high speed until it was stopped 45 minutes later by spike strips near mile 45.5 of the Parks Highway.
When the vehicle stopped, the driver, identified as 36-year-old Justin Smith, got out and attempted to flee. Peters said a trooper K-9 was deployed, at which point she says Smith turned and fire a handgun, shooting the dog.
“AST returned fire, striking the suspect,” Peters wrote.
Smith was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, where he “succumbed to his injuries,” according to Peters. Smith’s next of kin have been notified of his death, she added.
Peters said the K-9 also died from their injuries. The K-9 has not been identified.
The troopers involved will be identified following a 72-hour administrative leave, as dictated by AST policy, Peters explained.
She said no troopers were injured during the shooting.
“The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is taking over case responsibility for the Trooper-involved shooting,” Peters wrote. “It was determined that Smith had two active arrest warrants out of Anchorage: Assault in the Second Degree ($20,000) and Probation Violation (no bail).”
The Parks Highway was temporarily closed while the on-scene investigation was underway, but has since reopened, according to Peters.
This is the second incident in less than a year the resulted in the death of a trooper K-9. In September, a suspect fired multiple times at a Palmer police officer, a trooper and AST K-9 Helo as they pursued him. Some of the bullets struck and killed Helo, troopers said. The suspect in that case, Almando Abarca, was injured, but survived and was arrested.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates as they become available.
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