AST K9 officer killed along with suspect

WASILLA — An 36-year old Wasilla man and an Alaska State Trooper (AST) K9 were shot and killed early Sunday morning following a Sunday morning incident near mile 45.5 of the Parks Highway.

According to AST dispatch, troopers attempted to pull over Justin Smith for a moving violation near Bogard Road and Helen around 2:50 a.m. According to reports, the vehicle refused to yield and the driver operated the vehicle at faster than posted speeds. After an approximate 45 minute pursuit, the vehicle was stopped by deployed spike strips at mile 45.5 of the Parks Highway.

Police state the driver exited the vehicle ignoring troopers' commands and attempted to flee. At that point, police deployed an AST K9. According to police, Smith turned and fired a handgun hitting the K9. Troopers returned fire striking Smith. Smith was transported to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Police say both Smith and the K9 died from sustained injuries and no troopers were injured. Following the shooting, Parks Highway was closed for a brief time for investigative purposes .

According to AST, Smith had two outstanding arrest warrants out of Anchorage — a $20,000 second-degree assault and a no-bail probation violation. Online court records state Smith was charged with felony counts of failure to stop at the direction of a officer and third-degree assault and multiple misdemeanors including reckless endangerment, providing false information, and fourth-degree criminal mischief. Those charges stem from a Feb. 23, 2017 incident in Anchorage.

Police say Alaska Bureau of Investigation is taking over case responsibility for the trooper-involved shooting. Per department policy, the name(s) of trooper(s) involved in the shooting will not be identified for 72 hours. Police are continuing the investigation into the case.

Smith's death is the second fatal shooting involving an Alaska State Trooper in as many months. The incident marks the second fatal shooting of an AST K9 in six months and the second killed in the line of duty statewide. In the early-morning hours of Sept. 25, 2016, K9 Helo, a six-year old Belgian Malinois was fatally shot while during a suspect pursuit. Helo served as a patrol and scent-detection dog.

The death is the second fatal trooper-involved shooting this year. On Feb. 17, police shot 35-year old Jean Valescot of Big Lake following an approximate nine-hour armed standoff that involved his two-year old son and girlfriend in Big Lake.