The state has filed charges against the 31-year-old Bethel man who was shot after he wielded a baseball bat in a fight with Bethel Police.
Aaron Moses is facing 2nd degree and third degree assault charges, which amount to a class B and C felony, plus a felony charge for third-degree criminal mischief.
Court documents filed Friday reveals more details from the incident and the of names the officers involved.
A police affidavit says Byron Moses, the brother of Aaron Moses, told investigators that Aaron had come to his house looking for a gun, which he did not provide. Aaron Moses told investigators while in the hospital that he wanted to commit suicide at the time of the incident.
Byron Moses said that he saw Aaron’s demeanor change that morning and a fight began. Another man inside the house was able to stop that struggle. Aaron Moses then went outside, grabble a Louisville Slugger, and broke windows on Byron’s Jeep.
Bethel Police Officers Joseph Corbett and Sammie Hendrix responded to a call from Bryon, who said Aaron had broken a window with the bat. Corbett was the first officer to arrive, followed by Hendrix.
In a struggle in the street, the two officers tried to disarm Moses verbally and with tasers. Officer Hendrix told investigators that he was hit with the bat twice – once on the calf, once on the sole of his boot. He was on his back, on the ground when he fired his gun, striking Moses in the chest. Hendrix noted that Moses was swinging the bat and that Hendrix was “in fear”.
Police have not yet commented on the incident. The city has hired an Anchorage attorney to represent them in an allegation of police brutality and the shooting incident.
An arraignment date has not been set for Moses. Bail is set at 15-thousand dollars. Moses was recovering last week at the Alaska Native Medical Center.
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
