Anchorage police arrested a man Saturday after they say he slashed vehicles’ tires outside a Government Hill apartment complex, tried to burn down the building and ran at officers holding a knife.
Police said in a statement that they used “less-lethal options,” including a K-9, to subdue 34-year-old Patrick Moran during the incident on the 900 block of Richardson Vista Road.
According to a charging document against Moran, officers were called to the apartment complex at about 11:15 p.m. Saturday after Moran had reportedly stabbed tires with a kitchen knife, then chased people while holding it. Police had responded to previous calls involving Moran, according to the document, during which “he displayed highly paranoid behaviors, and frequently reported witnessing homicides that did not occur.”
An apartment manager said Moran had returned to his apartment, and police created a perimeter around the door. Officers waited for the arrival of less-lethal weapons, according to the charges, and checked cars in the area for vandalism, eventually finding two with slashed tires.
According to the charges, Moran then “began lighting a fire in his kitchen, putting random flammable items in the fire.” Arriving firefighters couldn’t initially fight the fire because it was unsafe to do so.
Officers activated a fire alarm and began heading upstairs to help people evacuate. As they did so, Moran allegedly ran toward two officers while holding the knife, then turned and ran downstairs toward four more officers. One officer said he did not have a clear line of sight to stop Moran, who then ran back upstairs.
Police used a 40mm launcher to fire about half a dozen pepper balls into Moran’s apartment, firing six more when the first produced no response.
“Moran exited his apartment and approached officers with the knife in hand,” police said in the charges. “He was struck with a 40mm launcher, causing him to retreat to his apartment.”
Police announced over a loudspeaker that they would use additional less-lethal force. Moran eventually stepped outside again, and was taken into custody after a K-9 was deployed.
Police said in their statement that Moran was treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He was then arrested on charges of first-degree arson, reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal mischief, plus four counts of third-degree assault.
Moran was being held Monday at the Anchorage Correctional Complex.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcklint@alaskapublic.org.Read more about Chrishere.
