Details emerge from situation involving barricaded suspect, arson

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A man is accused of barricading himself inside a Mountain View residence Friday and starting a fire at the house, resulting in his arrest.

The situation was severe enough to call Anchorage police officers with the Swing Shift Patrol, SWAT, the Crisis Negotiation Team, medics, and the Anchorage Fire Department, according to an Anchorage Police Department Facebook post.

The suspect was identified by the Anchorage Police Department as 27-year-old Eyob Imlach.

Police said at 4:22 p.m. Friday, crews responded to the area where they say a man was barricaded inside a residence on North Lane Street, between Mountain View Drive and Thompson Avenue, after officers attempted to make contact with him, according to an APD Facebook post. The initial report had been for a physical altercation that Imlach is accused of being involved with, police said.

Imlach ignored officer commands, police said, and a SWAT callout was initiated. When SWAT and the Crisis Negotiation Team arrived, Imlach was still barricaded inside a residence, which was on fire. Officers evacuated nearby residents as the fire grew, police said.

Imlach left the residence and hid in a backyard shed while firefighters worked the fire as it grew. Imlach eventually left the backyard shed, police said, reentered the residence, and exited the front of it where he tried to run from officers before he was taken into custody.

Imlach was treated at the hospital for minor injuries before being taken to the Anchorage jail where he was jailed for arson, resisting arrest, misconduct involving a weapon, violating conditions of release, and two counts of assault, police said.

Roads in the area were reopened at about 2 a.m. Saturday, after the scene was processed.

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