‘Devastated and angry’: Protestors call for change in the wake of deadly Juneau police shooting

Left to right: Rowena Brockway, Jamiann S’eiltin Hasselquist, Eulaysia Bostrack, Savannah Brohard, Marley Webster, and Ariilana Shodda-Lee astatine a protestation against nan decease of Steven Kissack successful Juneau. July 21, 2024. (Yvonne Krumrey/KTOO)

Sunday afternoon, a mates twelve group gathered crossed from nan authorities Capitol building successful downtown Juneau. Some held signs pinch messages for illustration like “Justice for Steven” and “Until we meet again.”

Genevieve McFadden’s motion read, “Rest successful Peace Steven Kissack.” She said she was location because she saw videos of Steven Kissack’s shooting, and she doesn’t want to spot thing for illustration that hap successful Juneau again. 

“Seeing group gunned down successful nan thoroughfare is awful, and it makes maine consciousness unsafe,” McFadden said. “And makes maine interest astir my kid, you know? I don’t want thing for illustration that to hap to her aliases anybody else.”

Genevieve McFadden astatine a protestation for Steven Kissack successful Juneau. July 21, 2024. (Yvonne Krumrey/KTOO)

The protesters gathered to definitive their anger complete nan decease of Steven Kissack past week. Kissack had been surviving connected nan streets downtown pinch his dog, Juno, for years erstwhile rule enforcement changeable and killed him during a confrontation connected July 15. 

Bonilyn Parker, who owns Griz Bar, came to nan protestation pinch a missive she wrote pinch thief from immoderate different downtown business owners. She said she plans to publication it astatine nan adjacent Assembly meeting, connected July 29.

She said she hopes nan missive will thief nan metropolis to recognize nan effect Kissack’s shooting has had connected everyone successful Juneau. 

“I deliberation this is simply a really ripe infinitesimal for immoderate change,” she said.

Nearby, Salomé Starbuck publication aloud from nan missive arsenic it sewage passed astir for group to sign. 

“As a consequence of this tragedy, members of our downtown organization and visitors to our organization are experiencing anger, fearfulness and a nonaccomplishment of a nonaccomplishment of trust,” she read. “We must activity to resoluteness that spot and make Juneau a spot wherever group tin unrecorded safely and without fear.”

Starbuck signed nan letter.

“Every azygous personification I’ve talked to since this has happened is devastated and angry astir this happening,” she said.

There were really 2 protests connected Sunday: nan gathering astatine nan Capitol was advertised connected a mini portion of insubstantial astatine a downtown memorial tract for Kissack. But erstwhile demonstrators showed up, nary 1 claimed to person planned it.

After half an hour, nan group headed down to nan library, wherever 4 young women had planned a 2nd protest.

Savannah Brohard said she and her friends first made signs and took to nan streets 2 days aft nan shooting. Later, they decided to scheme a larger protest.  

“Our voices matter fixed nan truth that we’re successful power of nan future,” Brohard said.

Her friend Eulaysia Bostrack said she wanted to return action to make it known that young group are already tired of seeing unit for illustration this. 

“And it needs to stop, because we spot this connected nan news each day, and it’s getting tiring, it’s painful,” Bostrack said. “This is not normal. This should not beryllium normalized.” 

And for Ariilana Shodda-Lee, Kissack’s decease deed adjacent to home.

Protesters march done downtown Juneau successful nan aftermath of a constabulary shooting that near an unhoused man dead. July 21, 2024. (Yvonne Krumrey/KTOO)

“I’m personally continuing to push because I’ve been homeless, and who’s to opportunity I’m not nan adjacent to get changeable if I autumn to homelessness,” Shodda-Lee said. “We request to beryllium protecting our group and not conscionable sidesplitting them.”

So far, nan sanction of only 1 of nan officers progressive successful nan shooting — an Alaska Wildlife Trooper — has been released. Juneau constabulary opportunity nan names of JPD officers progressive will beryllium released this week. 

The Alaska Bureau of Investigations is investigating nan shooting to find if lethal unit was necessary. The Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions will past independently reappraisal nan findings.