Justin Koonuk arrested after assaulting four people at an apartment complex

At 5:33 PM on April 23, 2022, Anchorage Police responded to an apartment complex on the 1200-block of E 17th Avenue regarding an assault with a hammer.  Before officers arrived, the caller told Dispatch the weapon being used was a cane as opposed to a hammer.  It was further relayed that the suspect was assaulting several people and was trying to force his way into multiple apartments.

Upon arrival, officers contacted Female Victim #1 and Male Victim #2 inside their apartment.  The officers noticed the home was in disarray; furniture had been overturned and there was blood in several areas.  Initial indications are that Victim #1 was acquainted with the suspect, 24-year-old Justin D. Koonuk, and that she had invited Koonuk into her apartment earlier that day.  Victims #1 began drinking with Koonuk.  Victim #1 got into an argument with Koonuk during which time Koonuk flipped over the furniture and then took Victim #1’s cane from her and assaulted her with it.  Victim #2 tried to intervene; Koonuk hit Victim #2 with the cane as well.  Victim #1 was able to make her way out of the apartment.  She yelled for help which caused a neighbor to call 9-1-1.

Koonuk exited the apartment; Victims #1 and #2 were able to go back inside their apartment and lock the door.  Koonuk began yelling and banging on the door of another apartment.  Male Victim #3 heard the commotion and opened his apartment door to find out what was going on.  When Koonuk saw the door open, Koonuk rushed over to that apartment and tried to force his way in.  A struggle ensued with Koonuk trying to push the door open and with Victim #3 trying to push the door closed.  Koonuk was able to reach through the partially opened door and grab at Victim #3’s arm causing injury.  Ultimately Victim #3 was able to push Koonuk hard enough to make Koonuk stumble back and allow the door to be shut and secured.

While the officers were interviewing Victims #1, #2, and #3, a 9-1-1 call came in regarding a fight happening in an apartment on another floor.  Officers located Koonuk outside of the apartment; Koonuk had multiple visible injuries and was fighting with a male.  It took more than one officer to take Koonuk to the floor and handcuff him.  Koonuk was physically combative both before and after he was placed into cuffs.  Koonuk showed signs of alcohol and drug impairment.  After the cuffs were placed, Koonuk went unconscious and quit breathing.  Officers called for medics and then began to move Koonuk so they could begin CPR.  Just before the officers began chest compressions, Koonuk regained consciousness and immediately began kicking at the police.

After Koonuk had been detained, police contacted male Victim #4 who was inside his own apartment.  Victim #4, who was elderly, had multiple visible injuries to the upper body.  Initial indications are that Victim #4 answered a knock at his door assuming it was his neighbor.  As soon as Victim #4 opened the door, Koonuk physically assaulted him.  Victim #4 fought back.  The attack stopped when a neighbor ran in and was able to pull Koonuk outside of the apartment.  That is when police arrived and took Koonuk into custody.

Victim #4 was transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.  Koonuk was also transported for treatment. After he was medically cleared, Koonuk was remanded at the Anchorage Jail on the charges of Violate Conditions of Release, three counts of Assault III, Assault I, and two counts of Burglary 1.

APD Case 22-12804