Anchorage man shot by police in Midtown hotel was not armed, charges say

An Anchorage man who was fired on by police inside a Midtown hotel last week was not armed, according to criminal charges filed in the case.

After the brief encounter with officers in the hallway of the Hilton Garden Inn, 36-year-old Ryan Hunt jumped out of a second-floor window, according to a sworn affidavit written by an Anchorage police officer in support of the arrest warrant. Hunt was treated for “shrapnel-like injuries to his torso” and then arrested on six charges of assault, the document said.

Police were called to the hotel near A Street on Dec. 6 because staff reported an aggressive man who refused to leave, the affidavit said.

Police said publicly that they received information a man with a warrant was in a room at the hotel, but did not mention hotel staff had called because he was refusing to leave. In an email, police spokeswoman Renee Oistad said the department never includes all details about ongoing cases in their public statements.

“Our goal with most releases is to advise the public of an incident that occurred within our community but in such a manner that does not compromise any part of that ongoing investigation,” she said.

Hunt checked into the hotel the day before with a woman who later told police that he became delusional, exhibiting paranoia and describing things that weren’t there, the affidavit said. Hunt attacked the woman while describing delusions, it said.

Police set up a perimeter around the room and called Hunt, the affidavit said. Officers knew from previous experiences that he could be violent and might not be mentally stable, the affidavit said.

After a brief call, Hunt stepped out of the hotel room into the hallway “with an object in his hand in what appeared to be a shooting stance,” Chief Michael Kerle said during a press conference. Officer William Parry shot at Hunt, police said.

Hunt ran back into the room and jumped out the second-story window, according to the affidavit. Officers stationed outside the hotel detained him, it said. No weapons were found on him, the affidavit said.

The woman was treated at the hospital for injuries, police said.

Hunt had an outstanding warrant for a third-degree felony stemming from August. Court documents in the case accused him of threatening a man he did not know after the man asked if he needed help. The charge has since been dismissed. Several other criminal cases involving Hunt have been dismissed in recent years and court documents in at least one case note he was found incompetent to stand trial.

Hunt’s first court appearance has been repeatedly rescheduled since his arrest; he was scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon. He does not yet have an attorney representing him.

Oistad said the investigation is ongoing and the department had no additional details to release on Thursday.