An armed man who allegedly fired on an Anchorage police vehicle and wounded an officer has been safely taken into custody after an hourslong standoff in Muldoon Thursday morning.
Anchorage Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Castro said Jheyson Jimenez, 28, was initially charged with one count of third-degree assault following Thursday morning's incident. The gunfire occurred outside an apartment building on the 8000 block of Peck Avenue, while police were responding to a report of a disturbance in the area shortly before 3 a.m.
"As an officer was driving by the residence, multiple shots were fired at the officer's vehicle," Castro wrote. "Glass in the patrol car was shattered causing some injuries to the officer. The officer was able to get out of the area and call for additional help" and incurred no life-threatening injuries.
APD Chief Chris Tolley told reporters later Thursday the charge was a result of Jimenez pointing a gun at his roommate, with charges related to the shots fired at the officer's vehicle still pending.
"Anchorage almost lost an officer today," Tolley said. "Due to good training and quick response, lives were saved."
Tolley said the male officer -- the first APD presence on the scene -- was expected to make a full recovery. He declined to identify the officer or provide further details on his condition until 72 hours after the incident, in accordance with department policy.
"A bullet came through the windshield of the car, narrowly missing his hand and striking a metal spotlight, causing metal and glass fragments to be lodged into his leg," Tolley said.
After the officer got clear of the building and called for backup, both APD's SWAT team and Alaska State Troopers' Special Emergency Reaction Team responded and set up a perimeter. After an investigation found the suspect -- later identified as Jimenez -- had fired on the vehicle, SERT members assisted with evacuation of apartments surrounding the one occupied by Jimenez. The tactical teams also got Jimenez's roommate to safety.
"These two teams evacuated over 31 homes," Tolley said.
Anchorage School District spokeswoman Heidi Embley said responders had helped schoolchildren leave the perimeter, after school bus routes in the area were diverted due to the closures.
"APD may have escorted some students out by foot," Embley wrote. "An APD officer did tell us some kids were transported out of (the) perimeter by trooper vehicle."
Eventually, after police spoke with Jimenez, he was convinced to give himself up.
"Just before 10:30 a.m. APD negotiators were able to make contact with the suspect and have him peacefully surrender to police," Castro wrote. "He was taken into custody without incident."
Police said the most recent incident in which officers came under fire occurred late month in Midtown, when shots were fired at two officers searching for suspects in an attempted burglary at Kriner's Diner on C Street.
Alaska Dispatch News photographer Loren Holmes contributed information to this story.