Troopers: Man brandishing gun prompts Wasilla school lockdown

WASILLA — Snowshoe Elementary School in Wasilla was placed on lockdown twice Thursday after a Wasilla man allegedly discharged a firearm around and then held police at bay at his home.

According to Alaska State Troopers, around 5 p.m. 33-year old John O. Deckard was reported to be brandishing a firearm on Fairview Loop in front of the school by an electrical worker. Even though students and staff had been dismissed for the day, a number of youth and adults involved with cross-country practice were on school grounds, according to reports. Those individuals were quickly rounded up and brought inside the school. Practice was scheduled to end at 5:15 p.m. Reportedly, as parents arrived to pick up their youngsters, they were also shuffled inside the facility for safety.

According to reports, Deckard was on foot and was seen leaving Fairview Loop heading onto South Coleman Drive. Police reported rapid gunfire was heard in the vicinity soon after. Police pursued the suspect on foot issuing an all clear to the school a short time later. However, Deckard’s path brought again brought him close to the school, according to reports, forcing a second, but brief, lockdown. Alaska State and Wildlife Troopers, along with Wasilla Police Department officers located Deckard at a South Coleman Drive residence and established a perimeter. Deckard allegedly held police at bay firing shots with both a pistol and rifle. A police negotiator eventually was able to get Deckard to exit the residence without incident.

Deckard reportedly made no threats to anyone on the school grounds but was charged with assault, weapons misconduct and first-degree stalking. The stalking charge came from an unrelated incident. He was taken to the Mat-Su Pretrial with bond set at $5,000.