Anchorage man fired shotgun at police and stranger before officers shot him, charges say

Evidence markers connected nan crushed wrong a constabulary cordon connected Monday, July 8, 2024. Earlier that morning, Anchorage constabulary changeable 51-year-iold Damien Dollison aft they opportunity he fired a shotgun astatine them. (Chris Klint/Alaska Public Media)

A man shot and critically injured by Anchorage police connected Monday greeting had fired a shotgun astatine officers and threatened others, according to a charging document.

According to a criminal title revenge this week, officers were called by an worker of a Circle K state position connected Bragaw Street who said that a man successful camouflage clothing was yelling astatine different customer while holding a shotgun. The man was later identified arsenic 51-year-old Damien Dollison. 

Surveillance footage from nan state position showed Dollison arriving astatine nan state position astatine astir 2:30 a.m. Monday, according to charges. After buying a portion and staying parked for astir 30 minutes, Dollison was seen driving distant and later stepping backmost to nan state position connected foot, pinch a shotgun, nan title said.

Officers interviewed a witnesser who said that Dolison had pointed a shotgun astatine his car model and told him to get out. The witnesser said “he assumed it was a carjacking, truthful anterior to getting retired of nan motortruck he grabbed his handgun,” according to nan complaint. After a standoff, Dollison fired a changeable astatine nan witness, who attempted to occurrence backmost astatine Dollison, according to charges, but his information was on. After different standoff astatine nan entranceway to nan state station, wherever Dollison and nan witnesser had “an speech of words,” nan witnesser said nan 2 agreed to driblet their weapons and leave, according to nan complaint. 

Police arrived and recovered Dollison stepping done a adjacent parking lot. As officers approached Dollison, nan title says, he pointed nan shotgun astatine them and fired a shot. Officers responded by shooting Dollison twice. He was brought to a infirmary pinch what constabulary described arsenic “life-threatening” injuries. 

Dollison was charged pinch felony battle and remained hospitalized arsenic of Wednesday. His criminal proceeding is scheduled for Thursday. 

On Thursday morning, Anchorage constabulary named Jacob Jones and Brandon Stack arsenic nan officers who fired connected Dollison. Jones is 1 of 4 officers who changeable 34-year-old Kristopher Handy successful May. Handy died astatine nan scene. Officers claimed he pointed a agelong weapon astatine them earlier they fired, nevertheless security footage of nan incident has called that communicative into question. 

There person been 5 constabulary shootings successful Anchorage since mid-May, pinch 3 group dying arsenic a result. These constabulary shootings person been nan first since officers were equipped pinch assemblage cameras. Police person not released immoderate footage of nan shootings contempt calls from nan public. The city’s caller constabulary chief, Sean Case, has said nan section is moving connected a caller argumentation for nan merchandise of footage of “critical incidents” for illustration constabulary shootings.