Crime & Courts

Man killed, trooper injured in shooting at Fairbanks home

UPDATE 10 a.m. Tuesday

The Alaska State Troopers on Tuesday identified the trooper who fired the fatal shot at the suspect as Brian Hibbs, an 8-year veteran of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

The agency also identified Derek Cottle as the wounded trooper. He had been with DPS for 7 months and before that had been with the Fairbanks airport police for about 8 years.

Original story:

FAIRBANKS — A man is dead and an Alaska State trooper was injured early Saturday after a shooting in a Fairbanks home, authorities said.

Shawn Ray Wilson, 48, of Fairbanks pulled out a weapon as troopers attempted to take him into custody about 5 a.m., Col. Barry Wilson, director of the State Troopers, told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

The troopers were trying to serve a search warrant and a $100,000 arrest warrant on charges of forgery and theft, Wilson said. "As troopers attempted to take Mr. Wilson into custody, he pulled a weapon and shot at and hit a trooper attempting to use less than lethal means of force on Mr. Wilson," he said at a news conference.

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A second trooper shot at the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Wilson said.

The injured trooper was treated for his injuries at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and released, he said.

The State Troopers said the investigation is ongoing and the names of the troopers involved in the shooting will be released after 72 hours.

The Alaska Court System’s website shows Wilson was indicted on one count of forgery and one count of theft, both felonies, for an offense that occurred on Oct. 13, 2017, the News-Miner reported. The warrant for his arrest was issued March 26.

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