Police identify man killed by officers in confrontation outside West Anchorage apartment

Anchorage police on Tuesday identified the man they said was fatally shot Monday after he “raised” a gun toward officers as 34-year-old Kristopher K. Handy.

Police were called to an apartment on the 7100 block of Bearfoot Drive, near Raspberry Road, around 2:13 a.m. because a disturbance was reported between Handy and a woman, they said. As officers were en route, Handy went outside with a long gun, police said.

Police officials said Handy “raised” the gun toward the four responding officers as they approached him on foot. The officers shot him at least once in the upper body, police said.

No officers were injured, they said.

First aid was rendered at the scene by the officers and medics from the Anchorage Fire Department, police said. Handy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Few additional details were available about the incident, including whether Handy’s gun was loaded, if he threatened the woman with it or how the two may have known each other. Police Chief Bianca Cross said during a briefing Monday morning that those details were part of the ongoing investigation.

This is the first time Anchorage police wearing body cameras have fatally shot someone. Cross said the footage would be released once the investigation is complete, but did not provide a timeline for how long that would take.