Badge Stops Bullet Fired at Anchorage Cop

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A 16-year-old boy was the person shot and killed by an officer Sunday after he fired at police from the back of a car, Anchorage police said Wednesday. A second officer was injured by gunfire.

Anchorage police have not released the name of the deceased. His family has been notified.

Police stopped a car for a traffic violation near Fifth Avenue and Reeve Boulevard around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Police Chief Justin Doll told reporters later that morning. The teen had fired shots at police from the back of a red Ford Taurus, Doll said.

A bullet struck one officer’s badge and then deflected into his body armor, police said in an online statement.

Officer Jason Cusack returned fire and fatally shot the 16-year-old, police said. Cusack has been with the department since 2015. None of the other four people in the car were injured. They were questioned by police Sunday.

MJ Thim, a spokesman for the department, said there were adults and juveniles in the car. None of them were facing charges, he said.

It is not clear why the teen shot at police.

The injured officer did not fire his weapon and is recovering quickly, Doll said in a statement Wednesday. That officer’s name has not been released.

This is the third officer-involved shooting this year, but the first to turn deadly.

Doll said the Office of Special Prosecutions is investigating the shooting and the department will also review it internally.

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