Accused shooter indicted in Barrow attorney's slaying

NOME — A grand jury Thursday indicted a Barrow man in the shooting of an assistant district attorney, formerly a prominent Valley resident.

Ronald James Fischer, 47, faces counts of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and third-degree murder, according to an indictment filed in superior court at Nome. The indictment alleges Fischer shot Brian Sullivan with a 20-gauge shotgun from a distance of about 10 feet or less.

Sullivan was an Army National Guard veteran and school board member for the Mat-Su Borough School District, as well as a one-time candidate for borough mayor.

Fischer was on bail release on three other cases at the time of the shooting, according to court documents, and had 21 criminal convictions, including two felony convictions.

Sullivan had started dating the woman Fischer shot him over less than two weeks prior, according to an affidavit in wide circulation since the Dec. 8 killing.

After a stare down and earlier encounter at the Barrow High School gymnasium, Fischer entered the house of Sullivan’s girlfriend on Laura Madison Street about 9:30 p.m. and killed Sullivan, authorities say. The girlfriend told authorities she heard Fischer’s voice say “Who are you?” followed by a gunshot, according to an affidavit.

After apparently killing Sullivan, Fischer entered the bedroom where the girlfriend was hiding, and pointed a gun at her, which is what triggered the assault charge, according to an Alaska Department of Law press release about the indictment.

Sullivan’s body was found with feet crossed, indicating he made no move to defend himself, according to the affidavit. The girlfriend escaped to the North Slope Borough Police Department, shortly before Fischer called to talk about surrendering to the authorities, according to the affidavit. Borough police arrested Fischer shortly before midnight at the end of an old military runway about six miles north of Barrow, according to the affidavit.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269 or brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com.