Update: After seemingly random downtown violence, residents plead for action

Update | 2:26 p.m.

A few hours after Wesley Johnson and other locals pleaded with city officials to better protect downtown workers and residents from street crime, Juneau police made an arrest in Johnson’s beating.

The Juneau Police Department says in a news release that it arrested Angoon resident Bobby R. Paul, 18, at about 4 a.m. Tuesday. He faces felony charges for robbery and assault. Police say they’ve identified five more suspects in Johnson’s case, who will all face similar charges.

JPD spokeswoman Erann Kalwara says one of those five suspects is already in custody on unrelated charges. The seventh alleged assailant is still being investigated.

Kalwara said the names of the other suspects will be released after charges are filed.

Original story | 2:22 a.m.

Wesley Johnson says he was assaulted by seven people during a smoke break in the early morning hours of June 6, 2016. He was one of several people to plead with the Juneau Assembly on June 13, 2016, to recognize and do something about violence downtown. (Photo by Jeremy Hsieh/KTOO)
Wesley Johnson says he was assaulted by seven people during a smoke break in the early morning hours of June 6. He was one of several people to plead with the Juneau Assembly on Monday to recognize and do something about violence downtown. (Photo by Jeremy Hsieh/KTOO)

Six people at Monday’s Juneau Assembly meeting pleaded for recognition and help with public safety problems downtown, including one of the latest victims of seemingly random street violence.

Wesley Johnson, 41, walked into the assembly chambers with a limp from a shattered knee cap. His face was visibly bruised, the white of his left eye bloody. He told the assembly he was beaten by a group of seven people on South Franklin Street last week during a middle-of-the-night smoke break. He had been working an overnight shift at the front desk of the Alaskan Hotel.

Wesley Johnson shattered knee 2016 06 13
Wesley Johnson says his knee cap was shattered during his assault. (Photo by Jeremy Hsieh/KTOO)

In an interview, he said it began when an intoxicated woman he’s booted from the hotel multiple times called him names from across the street. He said she, her son and his friends were trying to pick a fight some time after 2 a.m. Johnson said she punched him in the face without provocation.

“And she was right in front of me and so I pushed her away, and then the son instantly came at me,” Johnson said. “I went into defensive mode. I think I might have punched him in the face. And then his buddy and then, like, other guys, just, just beat me up pretty bad.”

Paul Jenne is the hotel’s resident manager. He talked about musician C Scott Frye’s near death after a downtown beating in 2015, and former bartender Annie Nelson’s scarring experience with a belligerent patron who smashed a pint glass across her face as the bar was closing in 2013.

Jenne said the police already knew the assailants were dangerous before the assaults.

“Am I angry? Yes. Something has to be done. Somebody’s gonna get killed,” Jenne said. “You guys have to do something. And the police department has to do something. And when the people who assaulted (Johnson) and the guy who tried to kill Scott are walking the streets — they’re not being held responsible. They’re not being held accountable. It has to stop.”

Juneau Police Department Chief Bryce Johnson, no relation to Wesley, was in the audience and addressed the concerns raised. He said one member of the group had already been arrested on a separate assault, most of the other assailants had been identified and the case is being built. Johnson said video will be released soon to help identify one of the remaining assailants.

He described Wesley Johnson as “a really, really smart victim” because he had awareness of where video cameras were and how to get to the police substation.

“By stepping up and being a good citizen, he’s doing a great service to the entire community. … He’s been a tremendous person to work with,” Chief Johnson said.

Often, the chief said, victims of street assaults are reluctant to come forward. He said another downtown beating victim from Sunday was uncooperative. He also said that, statistically, violent crimes have been trending down in the city.

Wesley Johnson and his sympathizers left the meeting before hearing the chief speak. Chief Johnson said his department will work with him until the case is resolved.

Jeremy Hsieh

Local News Reporter, KTOO

I dig into questions about the forces and institutions that shape Juneau, big and small, delightful and outrageous. What stirs you up about how Juneau is built and how the city works?

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