Anchorage police investigate shooting outside downtown warehouse rented out for private event

Gunshots rang out early Saturday morning near a downtown warehouse rented out for a private party. No one was injured in the shooting, police said.

A written statement from the Anchorage Police Department says a sergeant patrolling the area heard shots fired at 3:45 a.m. Callers also started reporting hearing the shots to police about a minute later, according to the statement.

One of the callers said the shooting happened at an "after-party" held at 347 E. Ship Creek Ave. Dozens of cars were leaving, the caller told police.

The warehouse is home to Anchorage Community Works, a work space for local artists and an event space.

On Friday night, the space had been rented out for a private party involving a hip-hop DJ, said Community Works executive director Will Dowd.

Responding officers found more than 20 shell casings outside the building, and multiple vehicles had been hit by bullets, police said.

"Officers did not find anyone at the scene who had been injured in the shooting," the release says.

But an officer spotted a man with a gun running from the scene during the response, police said. Police recovered the gun when the man dropped it on First Avenue, they said.

The man, identified as 23-year-old Dashawn Anthony Street, was arrested and charged with theft, resisting arrest and weapons misconduct stemming from possessing a firearm as a felon, police said.

Police noted that Street is being charged for firearm possession, not for the shooting.

"Police are still working on identifying the shooters in this event," the statement says.

Dowd said he was at the event. Nothing happened inside the building prior to the shooting, which occurred outside and across the street, he said.

He did not know what caused the shooting; all he heard were the gunshots, he said. Hired security handled the situation but did not interact with the alleged shooters, Dowd said.

It was back to business as usual at Anchorage Community Works Saturday morning. People inside were busy with a painting class.

Dowd said the private event was not affiliated with Anchorage Community Works and the shooting is a first for the organization.

"We've never had an incident like this before," Dowd said.

Police attribute the shooting to an altercation involving multiple men. They are asking anyone with additional information to call the Police Department or submit anonymous tips through Anchorage Crime Stoppers.