A 31-year-old Anchorage man, Puipuia Lipoi Alaelua, was charged with attempted murder Wednesday, following an incident earlier this month in which he shot an acquaintance in the face during the course of a drug deal, Anchorage police say.
Alaelua and the victim, 30-year-old Joseph Naufahu, met a gas station for a drug deal on Jan. 13, according to a version of events outlined in a Thursday morning press release from APD.
The two got into the same vehicle and eventually drove to Nunaka Valley Park, in East Anchorage. Naufahu was told to get out of the vehicle at the park and was then shot in the face, police said. Alaelua fled in the vehicle the two had taken to the park.
When medics found Naufahu, a "bullet was still wedged in (his) mouth where one of his teeth was now missing," the release said.
Naufahu was taken to an Anchorage hospital where he was treated for injuries.
Alaelua was arrested Jan. 14 by Anchorage police and U.S. marshals on an outstanding felony federal warrant for probation violations.
On Wednesday, he was charged with attempted murder, as well as three counts of assault and one count of misconduct involving weapons, all in connection with the shooting.
He is being held at the Anchorage jail.