As many as three suspects remained at large Monday after an attempted overnight break-in at a Midtown Anchorage diner, during which a police vehicle was rammed and pursuing officers were fired on, according to police.
Officers first received reports of a break-in at Kriner's Diner, 2409 C St., at about 12:30 a.m.
"When they arrived, a white SUV rammed into an officer's patrol vehicle and fled the area," police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro wrote.
"Meanwhile, two other males fled from the back of the business on foot. It did not appear that the suspects had made entry into the establishment when officers arrived."
Few details were available about the suspects, initially described by witnesses to police as Samoan males.
"(O)ne of the suspects was possibly bald, the other had dark hair," Castro wrote. "One was wearing a gray coat and the other had on a blue sweatshirt."
Officers briefly chased the SUV, which headed the wrong way down one-way C Street, toward downtown, but called off the pursuit due to public danger.
"Shortly thereafter, the white SUV became disabled on A Street near Fireweed," Castro wrote. "Officers were able to apprehend two females who were inside of the SUV and take them into custody for further questioning. The vehicle was stolen and seized by police."
Neither of the questioned females have been charged so far, Castro said. A possible third male suspect may have fled the SUV, police said.
Meanwhile, two officers came under fire as they climbed an embankment near 22nd Avenue and C Street in the search for the two suspects who fled on foot. The officers took cover and were unharmed, Castro said, with no return shots fired.
Castro said it wasn't clear Monday whether the shooters were the break-in suspects.
"Officers described hearing four to five shots fired at them," Castro wrote. "We are still investigating where the shots came from and who may have fired them."
SWAT officers were called in at about 4:30 a.m. to conduct a search. Police closed A and C streets between 15th Avenue and Fireweed Lane during the search.
Castro said in a statement that the road closures ended at around 7:30 a.m.
Kriner's owner, Andy Kriner, said Monday's attempted break-in was the fourth such incident at the restaurant in the last five and a half years. He said the females questioned by police had also been part of the break-in attempt, which was reported by staff at the Sockeye Inn across C Street.
According to Kriner, the suspects' getaway vehicle was parked in an alley behind the diner, which led to an external freezer being struck when police arrived minutes later.
"The SUV in the alley rammed the cop car, totaled it, and rammed it into my freezer," Kriner said.
Due to the damage, Kriner said, the diner would be closed all day Monday.
"I've gotta fix my front door, fix my freezer door," Kriner said. "I just want to get the message out to the criminals here: Quit breaking my doors, because there's nothing worth stealing here."
Anyone with information on the suspects or the incident should call APD at 907-786-8900.