Tragic Death of James V. Afuvai: A 24-Year-Old Man Fatally Shot by Police in Mountain View
The Anchorage Police Department has identified the man killed in a police-involved shooting on Sunday night in Mountain View as 24-year-old James V. Afuvai. According to the police, Afuvai was shot and killed by an officer after he charged at them with a knife ¹.
The officer fired at least one shot at Afuvai, hitting him in the upper body, after Afuvai ignored commands to drop the knife and ran toward the officer. The police were responding to a 911 call made by Afuvai himself, who was in need of emergency assistance.
At a press conference held shortly after midnight on Monday, APD Chief Sean Case explained that the officer was responding to a 911 call in the 500 block of North Park Street about a man in need of emergency assistance. The police later confirmed that it was Afuvai who had made the call.
Anchorage police spokesperson Renee Oistad clarified that Afuvai had made multiple calls to dispatch, and officers initially did not realize that the person making the 911 calls was the same individual they encountered. As they approached the scene, officers began to suspect the situation might involve a mental health crisis, prompting them to request assistance from the Mobile Intervention Team (MIT).
They delayed direct contact with Afuvai while waiting for the proper resources to arrive. Chief Case stated that the officer was sitting in his patrol car, awaiting backup, when Afuvai approached with the knife. “This situation highlights the dangerous and difficult calls officers face daily,” Case said. “The officer was not actively engaged at the time but was waiting for mobile intervention officers when the man charged him with a knife.”
Case emphasized the importance of individuals following police commands to avoid such tragic outcomes. The incident was captured on both body-worn cameras and the officer’s patrol car dash camera. This marks the fifth fatal shooting by Anchorage Police Department officers and the eighth overall officer-involved shooting in Anchorage this year.
The family of James V. Afuvai has been notified of his death, and the community is left to grapple with the tragic loss of a young life. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of mental health crises and the need for proper training and resources for law enforcement officers.
As the investigation continues, the community is left to wonder what could have been done differently to prevent
