Police know the suspect's name but aren't releasing it yet.
The incident began around 11:45 p.m. Saturday. Police stopped a black Isuzu pickup for a traffic violation in the area of 27th Avenue and Spenard Road, Lammers said. The officer walked toward the truck and was somehow assaulted by the driver, police said. Lammers said police aren't releasing details.
The driver fled in the truck westbound toward Minnesota Drive. Minutes later, police found the vehicle abandoned at 27th and Minnesota.
Just before 12:30 a.m., another officer recognized the suspect, now driving a different vehicle -- a red pickup truck -- and gave chase, police said. The suspect fled into South Anchorage.
At around 12:50 a.m., officers tried to stop the truck by using a "PIT maneuver." That's when an officer strikes a fleeing vehicle with a police car, pulling alongside then pushing the front of the police car against the rear of the fleeing vehicle, so that the suspect driver spins out of control.
"They strike the rear of the vehicle in an attempt to stop the vehicle," Lammers said. "It kind of causes the suspect vehicle to spin around."
A pursuing officer thought the pickup was immobilized.
"When he got out of his vehicle, he had believed that the suspect vehicle was in the ditch," Lammers said.
The pickup, however, was not disabled.
"He got out of his vehicle to contact the driver and execute an arrest and that's when the suspect actually started coming toward him and attempted to run him over," Lammers said.
The officer fired multiple times as the suspect fled.
Police found the red truck abandoned near Potter Valley.
The officer who fired shots has been placed on administrative leave, which is Anchorage Police Department policy in such situations. His name won't be released for three days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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