New video from a KTVA viewer shows the moments before and during a shooting at an Anchorage Carrs grocery store Saturday morning.
At least two people were injured: one Carrs employee was shot twice in the leg and another person who suffered a broken orbital socket after being punched in the face, according to court documents.
The suspected shooter, 18-year-old Devon Maurice Brown, now faces a total of 21 charges, including 16 felonies.
The video drew a number of comments from Alaskans.
“That is not Alaska behavior,” Anchorage resident PJ Bell said after seeing the video. “It’s like they have no morals and no respect for other people, and that is not Alaska.”
She said her son used to work the night shift at the Aurora Village store at the corner of Northern Lights Boulevard and Minnesota Drive, where the shooting happened.
“He would indicate that he would not feel safe there– even back then– and that was at least 10 years ago,” said Bell.
One man called the situation a “breakdown in civility in society,” after watching the video.
“It’s an absolutely volatile situation that we’re dealing with all around the country,” said Peter Berman. “It’s a sad thing and Anchorage isn’t immune to that sort of thing at all.”
Anchorage District Attorney Clint Campion said video footage, although not necessarily this particular clip, helped prosecutors determine with which counts Brown should be charged. However, Campion said video does not always tell the entire story.
“It shows you a glimpse of what occurred and that’s what trials are about. The video doesn’t tell you everything that led up to it or everything that happened at the time. It’s just one perspective. So, the video is really important, but it’s up to a jury of 12 people to decide what really happened,” said Campion.
While speaking with people at a shopping center across the street from the Carrs, one woman told KTVA she is a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an advocacy group that wants to “establish common-sense gun reforms,” according to its website.
“I’m really concerned about the gun violence in Anchorage, in Alaska, in the whole country,” said Janice Swiderski. “We respect the Second Amendment. We’re not out to take anyone’s guns away. Most of us are gun owners, but we feel that along with gun ownership comes responsibility to be safe.”
Brown’s next arraignment is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
The Anchorage Police Department did not respond to a request for an update on the case.
KTVA 11’s Eric Ruble can be reached via email or on Facebook and Twitter.
The post ‘That is not Alaska behavior’: Residents react to video of Anchorage Carrs shooting appeared first on KTVA 11.
