Anchorage police said three people were shot Monday evening in Spenard during a loud fight between two groups of people on a cold night on West 30th Avenue.
The "verbal altercation" escalated into a shooting, said Jennifer Castro, police spokeswoman. Some neighbors who lived in nearby homes said they heard more than a dozen shots fired that evening.
Police said the shooting happened just before 7:30 p.m. Monday on a stretch of West 30th Avenue, between Arctic Boulevard and Spenard Road. When police arrived on scene, they found a man on the snowy ground with gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital and underwent emergency surgery. He was listed in critical condition, police said in a statement.
Meanwhile, two other people with gunshot wounds arrived at the hospital. Both had been at West 30th Avenue during the shooting, according to police.
By late Monday, police had not identified any of those shot. Police said they had multiple witnesses in custody. Police said around 9 p.m. that charges had not yet been filed and the police investigation was "in its early stages." Castro said police were not aware of any other victims.
By 9:15 p.m., crime scene tape blocked off a portion of West 30th. A car sat in the middle of the road with one of its doors opened, with evidence markers scattered nearby.
Officers asked anyone with additional information about the shooting, who had not yet spoken with police, to call 907-786-8900 and press "0" to speak with dispatch.