A man at a Spenard house was fatally shot Friday morning after he walked next door to complain about someone shooting a pellet gun at the residence, Anchorage police said.
Delbert White, 32, of Anchorage was shot in the back of the head and the hand with an assault rifle, police spokesman Ron McGee said. He was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center where he died shortly before noon, McGee said.
The man next door, 32-year-old Bret F. Maness, turned himself in to police. He was charged with first-degree murder and was being held Friday in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Cook Inlet Pre-Trial Facility.
Sgt. Mike Grimes said police found a marijuana growing operation operated by Maness, with a minimum of 100 plants, and at least 12 firearms placed at strategic points throughout the apartment.
″It was a fortress,″ McGee said.
The shooting occurred at 9:30 a.m. in Maness’ driveway at 3804 Lois Drive near Spenard Road. White had been with several people next door at 3806 Lois Drive, McGee said.
Another man was in the apartment with Maness but was not charged, McGee said.
Grimes, supervisor of the homicide unit, said witnesses described Maness as behaving erratically for several weeks by yelling racial slurs and waving guns at White. The victim was black. Maness is white.
Grimes said he did not know if race was the source of conflict between the men.
Witnesses told police that Maness was shooting the pellet gun at the house for 20 minutes Friday morning.
″He knew he was going to get some response,″ Grimes said. When White went next door to complain, Maness met him at the door with an assault rifle, Grimes said.
He said one witness told investigators that White was shot once and fell on the ground and was shot again.
Police served a search warrant Friday on Maness’ apartment and found the marijuana and the weapons.
″One is a Sten submachine gun,″ Grimes said. Also at the house were sawed-off shotguns, a homemade grenade and thousands of rounds of ammunition, Grimes said.
The weapons ″were placed all over the house in corners ... I imagine we’ll find them all fully loaded. They were placed near doors and windows,″ Grimes said. White’s death is the 21st homicide in Anchorage this year.