Update — Jan. 12, 4:10 p.m.
Juneau police are asking the public for help finding the suspect in a Wednesday night shooting that left an elderly man with a gunshot wound.
Corey B. Coleman of Juneau, 54, is suspected of felony assault with a weapon. He was last seen walking on a trail toward Berner’s Bay cabin, off a dirt road at the end of Glacier Highway. Police said Friday evening that they don’t know if he’s still in the area.
Police described Coleman as a white male who is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and slender. He has light brown hair and green eyes.
Police said he is missing part of a finger and may have other injuries to his left hand from a gunshot. Photos of Coleman are on the JPD Facebook page.
Police are asking anyone with information to call JPD dispatch.
Original story
A suspect is at large north of Juneau after a fight Wednesday night left one man with a “non-life-threatening” gunshot wound.
The Juneau Police Department is actively searching for a man they say is likely near Berner’s Bay cabin and has a gunshot wound to his hand. No other descriptions of the man have been shared at this time.
According to a press release, at about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday police received a call from a woman who said her husband had confronted and fought with a man who was trespassing on his property near 35-mile Glacier Highway.
When police and Capital City Fire/Rescue arrived, they found the 72-year-old property owner with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the head. Police say the wound came from the property owner’s handgun, and he was treated at the scene.
JPD spokesperson and interim Chief Krag Campbell said police believe the risk to public safety is minimal at this time.
“There’s always some potential due to the nature of this crime,” he said. “We don’t believe that the person is armed anymore, at least with a gun that was used in the shooting.”
The man involved in the fight fled the area in a smaller-sized silver truck before police arrived. A vehicle similar to the description was later found by police, along with a weapon used in the incident.
Campbell said more information about the man’s description will likely be released Friday and Alaska State Troopers will join the search.
The release encourages anyone with information to call JPD dispatch at 907-586-0600 or submit an anonymous tip through Juneau Crimeline.
This story has been updated with additional comment from the Juneau Police Department.
