Homicide; E 14th Avenue/Denali Street

Update on 12/15/21:
The 15-year-old female victim has passed away from her injuries. Her death is now being investigated as a homicide.

Additional charges will be forthcoming for the suspect, Odell Branch III.

The Anchorage Police Department will not be releasing the victim’s name as she is a juvenile.

Update on 12/8/21:
At 3:30 PM on December 7, 2021, Anchorage Police responded to the area of E 14th Avenue and Denali Street regarding a shot being fired and someone being injured. Upon arrival, officers located a female juvenile teenaged victim outside with a gunshot wound to the upper body. She was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

42-year-old Odell Branch III was developed as a suspect; he was taken into custody nearby at 3:41 PM. Branch, 29-year-old Bektu Tharjiath, and several witnesses were transported to the Anchorage Police Department for questioning. Afterwards, Odell was remanded at the Anchorage Jail on the charges of Assault I and Attempted Murder I. Tharjiath was remanded at the jail on a probation violation.

While the circumstances of the shooting are still under investigation, detectives believe this was an isolated incident and not random.

APD Case 21-39680

Original on 12/7/21:
Anchorage Police have responded to the area of 13th and Denali regarding reports of shots fired. Several streets have been shut down in the immediate area; please use another route.