BETHEL -- A 20-year-old man in a Bethel-area village went on a rampage Wednesday evening, firing his shotgun at multiple people and hitting a tribal police officer, a family member and a third person with birdshot, Alaska State Troopers said Thursday.
It was one of two incidents related to gunfire in Western Alaska villages Wednesday.
Gerald Lamont of Tuluksak is now jailed in Bethel, where troopers say he faces charges of attempted murder, assault in the third degree and weapons misconduct in the second degree.
Troopers in Bethel said they received a report of an "active shooter" in the upriver village of Tuluksak at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Troopers were told the man had shot a family member in the face with a 20-gauge shotgun and was walking through the village with the gun.
Village residents could hear the shots. Teachers and other school staff members were alerted to lock their doors and pull down the shades.
The suspect shot a tribal police officer in the back, then a third person "in the head area," troopers said. "Multiple other community members were shot at but not hit by the birdshot."
Troopers arrived in Tuluksak at 11:15 p.m. They found Lamont, who they say was still armed. He "dropped the shotgun upon seeing Troopers and fled," the report said.
About an hour later, troopers say, they found him and took him into custody.
No serious injuries were reported, troopers said. All the people hit with birdshot declined medical treatment.
Also on Wednesday, in the Nelson Island village of Tununak, a 27-year-old man was walking around the village firing a handgun into the air, troopers said. Troopers from Bethel were alerted about 3:50 p.m. They flew in and arrested Greg Angaiak, who now faces charges of weapons misconduct in the second degree, assault in the third degree, theft and violation of release conditions in another case, troopers said.
"During the incident he went into the local store and took ammunition," troopers said of Angaiak. "He reloaded his firearm and proceeded to fire off the weapon throughout the community." No one was injured, nor was any property damage reported, troopers said.
Troopers say alcohol was not a factor in either incident.
Both men are being held at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center. Bail was not initially set in either case, troopers said.
Last month, Angaiak was indicted on a charge of felony bootlegging. Last year, he was charged in Anchorage with shoplifting but failed to make his court appearance, according to court records.
Lamont, who turns 21 this month, has been in minor trouble before. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in 2013, court records show. Last year on Christmas Eve, he was charged again with misdemeanor assault. He pleaded guilty in that case as well, according to court records.