PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS: Nov. 30, 2016

Wasilla man arrested for shooting into crowd

A 26-year old Wasilla man was arrested on 11 counts including assault, misconduct involving weapons and criminal mischief following an early Sunday morning shooting near Sutton.

According to Alaska State Troopers, 26-year-old Randi J.D. Lee was arrested after he allegedly shot into a crowd gathered at a bonfire in the Coal Hills Road-Jonesville Mine Road area. Troopers allege Lee shot at the crowd and then fled the area in a white Jeep heading toward Palmer. According to an AST dispatch, police stopped the vehicle near Glenn Highway and Palmer Fishhook Road and determined Lee to be the shooter.

Troopers stated one person at the gathering was grazed on the knee by a bullet and also report that several vehicles were struck. Police said alcohol was involved in the mishap. Lee faces charges of second-degree assault, seven counts of third-degree assault, first-degree misconduct involving weapons, fourth-degree misconduct involving weapons and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial Facility where bail was set at $5,000 cash corporate and $10,000 cash performance.

Charges revised in Butte shooting case

One of two men charged with in July 21, shooting-burglary incident in Butte has had four of the seven original charges filed against him dropped.

Anchorage resident Shaquan M. Johnson, 22, now faces one count each of first-degree armed robbery, first-degree assault and third-degree armed robbery from his alleged involvement in an early morning burglary attempt at an East Plumley Road residence in July. Police allege Johnson held a woman at gunpoint in the home while an accomplice, 22-year-old Shyheim Chavis is believed to have shot a man residing at the location.

The man was hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries and police say both men escaped the residence after the botched attempt. Johnson originally faced one count each of first-degree attempted murder, assault, and burglary; along with two counts of third-degree assault and one count of first-degree armed robbery.

Court records show that prosecutors dropped more than half the charges on Nov. 23 prior to this Monday arraignment in Palmer District Court. Chavis faces one count each of first-degree attempted murder, burglary and third-degree assault; plus two counts of first-degree armed robbery and two counts of first-degree assault from his alleged involvement in the incident.

Through evidence left near the scene and using a police K-9 unit to track it back to the home, police were able to match a DNA sample to Chavis. After being interrogated while jailed on an unrelated case in Anchorage, police say Chavis admitted to both being at the residence and shooting the husband. He further implicated Johnson as the person who held the wife at gunpoint, as well as two other males.

Another suspect, 17-year old Xeryus “Iggy” Tate, one of the two other men implicated, was murdered in Anchorage on July 31.

—Compiled by Chris Ford