Man in custody after making threats with a weapon at Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage police say

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Police have taken a man into custody after he allegedly barricaded himself in a room of the Hotel Captain Cook and made threats with a weapon. Several downtown Anchorage streets were initially closed to traffic while a large number of police officers responded to the area.

Anchorage police reported Friday afternoon that there was a “large police presence” downtown in the area of Fourth and Fifth Avenues, between K Street and I Street. They responded to the hotel just before 2:45 p.m. and expanded the closure to include Third and Seventh Avenues between K Street and I Street.

In a press release, police said the department’s special operations personnel had responded to the hotel, which is located on West Fifth Avenue. That team includes a tactical support unit and a crisis negotiation team.

By 6:30 p.m., police reported that a man had been taken into custody after the approximately four-hour standoff and officers were breaking down the perimeter they had set up. They wrote that the man “who was barricaded in a room after making threats with a weapon” was taken into custody “without further incident” and that there were no injuries.

Nick Weatherman, manager of Anchorage Pel’meni on K Street, said he noticed police blocking the area off at the end of his shift just after 2:45 p.m. on Friday.

“As soon as they got out of their cars they were pulling out their rifles and their helmets,” Weatherman said. He said they began aiming weapons at a tower of the Captain Cook.

“And then a cop ran over to me, he said I should probably get away from the windows,” Weatherman said.

Erin Johnson spoke to Alaska’s News Source from the lobby of the hotel. She said officers appeared to be heading upstairs, and were allowing people to remain in the lobby.

Johnson said police were not letting people leave via the exit that leads to K Street, but were allowing people to leave from other exits.

“Everybody seems to be pretty calm,” she said. “Everyone’s doing their job and addressing what needs to be done. No panic or anything of that nature.”

Police advised the public, both in vehicles and on foot, to stay away from the area during the standoff.

“We thank the community for their patience and cooperation during our response,” they said in the statement.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional details.

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