Officer involved shooting investigation; Home Depot at 400 Rodeo Place

Update on 7/15/16:

Per department policy, the names of the Officers involved in this week’s officer involved shooting can be released. APD Officer Cole Grigg and APD Officer Bart Filipowicz both fired their weapons during their response on July 12, 2016, to a reported robbery and assault in which the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Benjamin Zekovic, threw weapons at the officers while advancing at them. Officer Grigg has been with the department for 13 years and Officer Filipowicz has been with the department for almost two years.

As with all officer-involved shootings, this case is being investigated by the State Office of Special Prosecutions. The Office of Special Prosecutions will determine if the use of force was justified. An Office of Professional Responsibility investigation will also be conducted to determine if the officers' actions were within policy.  As per APD policy, the officers were placed on 4-days administrative leave. 

Special Note: Prior public information releases stated that the officers were placed on four days of administrative leave and following that, their names would be released. Current APD Policy states that officers who discharged their weapons are placed on mandatory four-day non-disciplinary paid administrative leave. The involved officers’ names will be released to the media three days post incident unless otherwise determined by the Chief of Police.

Update on 7/13/16:

Anchorage police have identified the suspect involved in yesterday’s robbery resulting in an Officer Involved Shooting as 23-year-old Benjamin Zekovic. Zekovic’s next of kin have been notified. The incident and fatal shooting remains under investigation.

Update on 7/12/16:

The following is a statement from Chief Tolley regarding the officer-involved shooting this evening:

“Once again we almost lost officers today along with civilians.

Anchorage Police are currently investigating an officer-involved shooting at Home Depot at 400 Rodeo Place.  At 6:27 PM today, Anchorage Police responded to a robbery in progress at the store wherein the suspect shoplifted several items and then physically assaulted a loss-prevention employee while armed with several hatchets and axes. No employee was injured.

Police confronted the suspect behind the store.  Ignoring commands, the suspect threw some of the weapons at officers and then advanced at the officers with at least one hatchet in his hand.  In defense of their own lives, two officers fired.  No officers were hurt during the incident.  The suspect was transported to the hospital where he later died.  At least one more weapon was recovered from his body.  He has yet to be identified but appears to be a young Caucasian adult male.

As with all officer-involved shootings, this case will be reviewed by the State Office of Special Prosecutions. The Office of Special Prosecutions will determine if the use of force was justified. An Office of Professional Responsibility investigation will also be conducted to determine if the officers' actions were within policy.  As per APD policy, the officers will be placed on 4-days administrative leave.  At the end of that time, their names will be released.”

Original Release on Tuesday, July 12, 2016:

Anchorage Police are currently investigating an officer-involved shooting at Home Depot at 400 Rodeo Place.  At 6:27 PM on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, Anchorage Police responded to a robbery in progress at the store wherein the suspect shoplifted several items and then assaulted an employee while armed with several hatchets and axes.

Police confronted the suspect behind the store.  The suspect began throwing some of the weapons at officers while advancing upon them.  In defense of their own lives, officers fired.  No officers were hurt during the incident.  The suspect was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

As with all officer-involved shootings, this case will be reviewed by the State Office of Special Prosecutions. The Office of Special Prosecutions will determine if the use of force was justified. An Office of Professional Responsibility investigation will also be conducted to determine if the officers' actions were within policy.  As per APD policy, the officers will be placed on 4-days administrative leave.  At the end of that time, their names will be released.

APD Case 16-29209