An Anchorage man was upset about $20 in gas money he believed he was owed when he fatally shot another man Friday night, according to charging documents.
Officers were called to the 4600 block of Mountain View Drive at 8:40 p.m. after people heard gunshots, according to an affidavit written by Detective Christina Roberts.
When officers arrived, they found 33-year-old Rick Moa wounded on the ground across the street from a Holiday Gas Station, the affidavit said. Moa was taken to a hospital but later died from his injuries.
Investigators said 52-year-old suspect Peejay Her had given a ride to Yer Yang earlier Friday. Her later confronted Yang, who was with Moa, and demanded $20 for gas, the charges said. The men were inside a structure described in the affidavit as both a garage and as Yang’s trailer. Yang refused to pay Her and he left the area but soon returned with a handgun, investigators said.
Her went back into the building and pointed the gun at Yang and Moa before walking outside, the affidavit said. Moa grabbed a knife and followed him out the door, according to the charges.
Outside, Her fired shots at Moa, police said.
“After Moa fell to the ground Her stated he was upset at Moa for becoming involved in the altercation,” Roberts wrote in the affidavit. “Her stated he fired an additional shot at Moa while he was on the ground.”
Her sped away in a gold Toyota Camry, police said. He hid the gun along a fence at 16th Avenue and Klevin Street, the affidavit said.
Police received a tip that the Camry was in the Malaspina-Glacier Mobile Home Park, the affidavit said. Her was arrested there Sunday on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree misconduct involving a weapon and evidence tampering.
He’s being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex on a $500,000 bond. Her appeared in court Sunday afternoon with assistance from a Hmong interpreter.
Moa is the 12th person to die of homicide in Anchorage this year, not including two fatal officer-involved shootings.