Juneau Police Department and FBI officers involved in a drug-related case were deployed in a nearly three-hour standoff at a residential building near the intersection of North Franklin and Fifth streets at midday Thursday, which ended with police firing numerous chemical projectiles into the structure during an extended period of time before a man inside came out soon after 1 p.m. and was taken into custody.
According to announcements made by police at the scene, they were serving a search warrant for an apartment in the building.
Several streets around the residence on North Franklin Street were blocked off by police following the standoff that began at about 10:17 a.m. when a search warrant was served at the residence, according to Erann Kalwara, JPD’s public safety manager. Two people inside exited the building shortly after officers arrived, but it was not immediately known if they are being charged in the case.
“The search warrant was related to an ongoing investigation involving the distribution of controlled substances in Juneau,” Kalwara stated in an email at about 3 p.m. Thursday.
A man who refused orders to come out of a downtown residence for nearly three hours is taken into custody shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Messages from an officer with a bullhorn, along with officers outside the front door subsequently, were issued constantly as the situation involving the man who remained inside slowly escalated.
An initial chemical projectile was fired shortly before noon, with others following and heavy smoke visible from the residence when the man finally emerged and was taken into custody.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
Smoke from chemical projectiles streams from the windows of a downtown residence as police enter to confront a person inside who refused to come out Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A police officer keeps watch on the back of a downtown residence where a man refused orders to come out for nearly three hours on Thursday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
