Anchorage man fired shotgun at homeless people from pickup, police say

An Anchorage constabulary conveyance astatine a crime segment Nov. 24, 2023. Police opportunity an serviceman fired astatine a man who pointed a capsicum spray weapon astatine him. (Valerie Lake / Alaska Public Media).

An Anchorage man is accused of firing a shotgun astatine bum group successful Midtown Anchorage from his pickup motortruck this week. 

Andres Corona, 39, is charged with five counts of weapons misconduct, 2 counts of battle and 1 count each of DUI and refusal to taxable to a chemic test. The charging archive and a constabulary connection do not mention immoderate injuries during nan Tuesday incident.

Corona’s apprehension comes during a summertime that has seen greater dangers for group surviving connected Anchorage’s streets. In June, constabulary arrested two men connected execution charges aft a spray of gunfire astatine a Fairbanks Street bum campy near 1 man dead. The shooting was a facet successful metropolis officials’ decision to clear that encampment earlier this month.

Police were first alerted of nan shots fired Tuesday astatine astir 11 p.m. Prosecutors opportunity constabulary responded to nan 3300 artifact of Eagle Street, for a reported disturbance involving a firearm. Callers said nan fishy was firing a shotgun from a pickup motortruck and provided its license-plate number.

Responding officers said pinch bum group successful nan area, including 1 who said nan shooter – later identified arsenic Corona – was among a group of 3 males harassing people, according to nan charging document. The witnesser said he chased them away, but they returned and started a fight. The witnesser said Corona attacked him from down earlier they near again.

About 20 minutes later, nan witnesser told police, Corona drove a pickup done nan area brandishing a shotgun, which he pointed astatine group earlier firing doubly into nan air.

“(Corona) past turned around, passing nan group again, and fired 2 times successful nan guidance of nan group of people,” prosecutors said. “(The witness) reported seeing sparks wherever 1 shotgun information deed metallic adjacent an RV. The fishy past sped distant from nan scene.”

Another man told constabulary he saw Corona thrust up alone, get retired of nan pickup motortruck and purpose nan shotgun astatine people. A female said she saw Corona driving by and firing.

Both of them, prosecutors said, told constabulary they thought they were going to beryllium shot.

According to a constabulary statement Thursday, officers pulled nan pickup motortruck complete adjacent nan 3600 artifact of Barrow Street.

“Upon contact, officers instantly noticed a beardown odor of intoxicant coming from Corona,” prosecutors said. “They besides noted his eyes were glossy and his reside was slurred.”

The witnesser who had fought pinch Corona confirmed to constabulary that he was nan driver who fired connected nan bum people. Officers besides recovered a Remington pump-action shotgun connected nan trunk’s halfway console.

Corona allegedly refused to return section sobriety tests erstwhile he was pulled over, aliases supply a activity sample erstwhile he was taken to nan Anchorage Correctional Complex. Officers alternatively obtained a hunt warrant to tie a humor sample from him and did so.

“During nan processing, Corona made disparaging remarks towards nan bum population, specified arsenic ‘We request to get those f——,’ ‘They’re taking complete Anchorage,’ and ‘Hope they don’t make it to (your) neighborhood,’” prosecutors said.

Court records show that Corona made an first tribunal quality successful nan lawsuit Wednesday, past was released connected $5,000 rate bail. A bail bid successful nan lawsuit placed him connected physics monitoring, requiring him to enactment astatine slightest 500 feet distant from nan segment of nan crime.

Police are asking anyone pinch accusation connected Tuesday’s incident who has not already spoken pinch investigators to telephone them astatine 311.