Allen and Comstock roads were closed for about an hour late Monday afternoon while Haines Borough police arrested a former longtime resident who had returned to town. The Alaska State Troopers had issued an arrest warrant for felony parole violations, said police chief Heath Scott. The original felony charges include violating condition of release, burglary, vehicle theft, and theft.
Scott and two police officers went to a house on Comstock Road where the man was known to be staying. Scott said they could hear the man moving inside the house but he refused to respond. Officers spent five minutes knocking on the door and walking around the house until they heard what sounded like a weapon being loaded.
“Once that happened, we started to treat the situation as the subject was barricading himself,” Scott said.
Three additional officers were called in for support, as well as an ambulance to stand ready and the department of public works to assist with the road closure. Three nearby neighboring houses were evacuated.
“When we have an individual with an arrest warrant and contact with law enforcement in the past, first thing we need to take care of the community,” Scott said.
Police tried texting, calling and using family contacts over the course of an hour to get the man to exit the house. A friend of the man who spoke to him through a window finally got the individual to speak with Scott and leave the house.
The subject was taken into custody without event.
“I’m extremely happy with the way it went. Everybody worked together really well and did a great job at communicating,” Scott said. “We had a very low-key, not abrasive, situation.”
Loaded firearms were found inside the home.
The investigation is ongoing, and Haines Police may consult with the state district attorney’s office and U.S. attorney’s office about any additional charges.
The parole hearing for the man has not yet been scheduled but should happen in the next few weeks, Scott said.