Protesters demand Anchorage police release body camera video of shooting

Family members of an Anchorage man shot and killed by police joined a protest in downtown Anchorage Saturday to demand that police release body-worn camera footage of the incident .

About 80 people gathered on the Delaney Park Strip and marched to Anchorage police headquarters on Fourth Avenue to urge Police Chief Bianca Cross to release videos of the shooting. by Kristopher Handy on May 13 outside a West Anchorage apartment building.

“This is the first time we have enough footage to see what happened from all angles. This is the first time we’ve had policies in place that say the footage has to be released,” said Anchorage resident Jasmin Smith. “And the police chief has the authority to do that and it should be done as soon as possible.”

Police said they do not intend to release the videos until ongoing investigations are complete.

Protesters held signs saying “Release the footage now” and chanted as they marched down the street. Outside police headquarters at Fourth Avenue and H Street, Handy's brother, Travis Handy, told the crowd that the event showed it was a larger problem than just one incident.

“They want answers,” Travis Handy said of the gathered crowd. “We want answers.”

Kristopher Handy was fatally shot by several police officers outside his West Anchorage apartment. Police said they responded to a report of an altercation inside an apartment between a man and a woman. His fiancee later said Handy was talking about harming himself and that she had texted a neighbor and asked him to call 911 because he was scaring her. Handy came out of the building with a shotgun, she said, and was killed moments later.

After the incident, Anchorage police released a statement saying Handy “brandished a long gun” at officers. Home surveillance video captured police calling for Handy to come out of the apartment with his hands in the air. Handy then came out with something in his right hand. It's not clear whether Handy was brandishing a gun.

Cross, the Anchorage police chief, addressed concerns about what many perceived as a discrepancy with the police narrative. Cross said the initial description came from a witness account. “Once the Office of Special Prosecutions (OSP) concludes the criminal portion of the investigation and APD Internal Affairs completes the procedural portion, we will be able to answer any outstanding questions,” indicates the press release.

It's not soon enough, Handy's family members said Saturday.

“It’s a precedent-setting situation,” said Monte Handy, Kristopher’s father. “And that should be the case, and that should be fixed.”

“I think the body camera and dash cam footage will conclusively show what we think happened. And that’s one of the reasons why it’s not published,” Travis Handy said.

In a written statement following the protest, Anchorage police spokeswoman Renee Oistad said the department understands the public's interest in the case.

“Our priority is to ensure that everyone involved in an open criminal investigation is treated lawfully, fairly and respectfully. Every citizen in such a situation deserves to be treated equally. APD has a history of withholding evidence in investigations until the case is closed. We will continue this practice in this case as well,” the statement said.

Travis Handy said he spoke with Cross, who offered his condolences but reiterated that the video would not be immediately released due to ongoing investigations. Monte Handy said the family intends to continue to appeal to the outgoing and incoming Anchorage mayor as well as the Anchorage Assembly. Rep. Felix Rivera joined the march Saturday with a sign that read “Stream the images.”

“We are going to continue to put all the pressure we can on this department to get this footage released. All that, unedited, and the 911 call,” Monte Handy said. “We must put an end to this situation. »

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