Suspect sought on manslaughter charges in Sunday shooting

Anchorage police are seeking a suspect in one of last week's three homicides over a three-day period, saying he fatally shot a teenager with whom he was riding in a car in East Anchorage on Sunday.

Deandrew Lee Jennings Walker-Webster II, 18, has been charged with manslaughter in the death of 17-year-old Xeryus Tate, police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro said in a statement. Tate's body was found near his 1995 Honda Accord when police responded about 2 a.m. Sunday to reports of a shooting near East Fourth Avenue and Newell Street.

A witness who saw the Honda moving in the area that evening said Tate emerged from a driver's-side door and collapsed. Two passengers stayed in the vehicle, while two more ran away.

"A preliminary investigation found that Tate was shot by the passenger sitting in the back seat as Tate was driving," Castro wrote. "The shooter was identified as (Walker-Webster)."

Police previously said Tate's death was apparently unrelated to the fatal shootings of 18-year-old Elijah Zeller, dropped off at an Anchorage hospital early Saturday, and 21-year-old Treyveonkindell Thompson, who was killed in Muldoon early Friday.

Castro said Thursday morning it wasn't immediately clear whether Tate's shooting was deliberate.

"My understanding was that Walker-Webster was in possession of a weapon in the vehicle, and ultimately the gun went off and caused the death of Xeryus Tate," Castro said.

In an affidavit seeking the manslaughter warrant, Detective John Foraker said Walker-Webster and a 17-year-old male were the two passengers who remained at the scene.

Investigators were contacted late Sunday by the first of the two teenage juvenile passengers who fled, then used information he gave to identify and locate the second one on Tuesday.

One of them told police the group had been smoking marijuana at a trailer near Sixth Avenue and Newell Street with a woman who had been showing them a handgun. After they left, both of the juveniles said Walker-Webster pulled out a pistol inside the car.

"(The 16-year-old) told detectives that (Walker-Webster) must have stolen the handgun from the female in the trailer," Foraker wrote. "(The 16-year-old) said they told (Walker-Webster) to put the gun away and the next thing he remembers was the gun going off."

Once Tate stopped the car, got out and collapsed, Foraker said, the 16-year-old told police he and the other back-seat passenger between him and Walker-Webster got out and ran. He denied either had taken the weapon which killed Tate.

"The handgun used in this incident has not been recovered," Foraker wrote.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Walker-Webster, whose arrest warrant carries an initial bail of $50,000, is asked to contact police at 907-786-8900 or Crime Stoppers at 907-561-STOP or on its website.