News conference: Juneau police sergeant justified in December officer-involved shooting

A Juneau police sergeant who shot at a Juneau man on Dec. 3 was found justified in the incident, according to Juneau Police Chief Bryce Johnson.

The state Department of Law and the Alaska Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Johnson discussed the results at a news conference this afternoon and walked through the incident with dash cam video, eyewitness cell phone video and audio recordings of the incident.

 

Police were investigating a car crash early that Saturday morning. Sgt. Chris Gifford and Officer Darin Schultz responded to the scene.

Johnson said the driver, 38-year-old Jeremie Tinney of Juneau, had pointed finger guns and a “rifle-bored axle” at officers and paramedics. Johnson said Tinney escalated the situation, did not comply with the officers’ commands, and had previously threatened to shoot police. Gifford and Schultz believed they were in danger of being shot.

Gifford fired a single round into the vehicle that did not strike Tinney. His “superficial” injuries were sustained from shrapnel created from the bullet entering the vehicle, Johnson said.

Tinney was later medevaced to Seattle and arrested on unrelated charges after being released from the hospital. He’s being held in Bellingham according to a Whatcom County jail official.

Gifford and Schultz were placed on administrative leave following the incident, according to department policy. Gifford returned to desk assignment a couple of weeks ago. Schultz returned to duty shortly after the incident.

Juneau police have not charged Tinney with anything, though Johnson said that investigation is ongoing.

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