Police Officer Shoots Fishing Boat Captain In Bizarre Aleutians Drug-Related Incident

The Anchorage Daily News has some details on a crazy story involving a fishing boat captain, drugs and a police officer who shot the captain:

A police officer in the eastern Aleutian fishing town of Sand Point shot a boat captain who brandished a hatchet Monday during a drug investigation, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said Tuesday. 

The captain’s name was not public as of Tuesday, with the department citing the ongoing status of the incident.

“No charges have been filed nor have any arrests been made at this time. Our investigation is active and ongoing,” department spokesman Austin McDaniel wrote in an email.

Here are some additional details from the Alaska State Troopers’ dispatch on the incident:

AK25088740

Location: Sand Point

Type: Officer Involved Shooting Investigation

Dispatch Text:

On Sept. 1, 2025, at around 1:50 pm, police officers from the Sand Point Police Department were standing watch over a docked and unoccupied fishing vessel that had been seized for a search warrant service related to an ongoing Alaska State Trooper-led drug trafficking investigation. As the officers watched the vessel, the boat’s captain boarded it and attempted to flee. Officers also boarded the vessel to stop the escape. As officers breached the bridge, the adult male captain produced a hatchet. As a result of the man’s actions, a Sand Point Police officer fired his weapon at the man, striking him. Emergency medical care was provided to the man, who was subsequently medevaced for treatment of his injuries. No law enforcement officers or other individuals were injured.

During a search of the vessel, State Trooper investigators seized approximately 600 grams of methamphetamine and 35 grams of heroin. The value of these narcotics in Sand Point is estimated to be $970,000.

At the request of the Sand Point Police Department, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation assumed case responsibility for the officer-involved shooting. Once their investigation is complete, it will be independently reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions.