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Judge sets bail at $1 million; DA seeks attempted murder

JPD brings in crisis counselors to assist any affected employees after standoff with ex-Juneau policeman

Posted: April 11, 2012 - 12:03am
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Alaska State Trooper Al Fenumiai, left, leads Troy Wilson, a lieutenant with the Juneau Police Department when he retired with the Juneau Police Department in December, into Juneau District Court for his arraignment on Tuesday. Wilson was arrested after firing 75 shots at police officers and their patrol vehicles when they responded to a call at his house Saturday evening, according to the police. Bail was set at $1 Million.  Michael Penn/Juneau Empire
Michael Penn/Juneau Empire
Alaska State Trooper Al Fenumiai, left, leads Troy Wilson, a lieutenant with the Juneau Police Department when he retired with the Juneau Police Department in December, into Juneau District Court for his arraignment on Tuesday. Wilson was arrested after firing 75 shots at police officers and their patrol vehicles when they responded to a call at his house Saturday evening, according to the police. Bail was set at $1 Million.

The former Juneau police lieutenant who opened fire on police officers Saturday evening was charged with three additional counts of first-degree attempted murder Tuesday, according to new charging documents.


Troy A. Wilson, 45, now faces a total of 15 felony charges. Four of those are for attempting to murder four different Juneau police officers — his former coworkers — by firing a rifle at them.


District Attorney David Brower also charged Wilson with three additional counts of third-degree assault and another count of second-degree weapons misconduct.


Wilson was arrested early Sunday morning following a five-hour shooting spree Saturday evening. Prosecutors say the former SWAT instructor barricaded himself in his house and fired about 75 to 100 shots. He used night vision equipment to aim at police officers, charging documents show.


Police said no one was injured during the incident.


With eyes cast down and head bowed, Wilson made for his first public court appearance Tuesday. He wore a orange prisoner’s jumpsuit.


Not once did he appear to look upward to meet to eyes of the judge, the two uniformed Juneau police officers in the back of the courtroom or the four women — who refused to be identified — sitting in the first two front rows.


The only time Wilson raised his gaze was to ask a question to his newly hired defense attorney, Julie Willoughby, who sat to his left at the defendant’s table.


The 17-year JPD veteran was arraigned Sunday by a magistrate judge. That judge set bail at $500,000 cash per the state’s request.


On Tuesday, District Attorney David Brower asked the judge to raise bail to $1 million cash.


“Judge, the initial information was filed Sunday morning after initially contacting Juneau police,” Brower said. “Upon further review of the evidence and further investigation and interviews, the state has added the additional charges and the additional information. And we’re asking that the bail be increased to a million dollars — $500,000 appearance and $500,000 performance, along with third-party custodian. The allegations are extremely serious and the statements made are extremely serious.”


Charging documents show that Wilson vowed to “kill the world” during the rampage. He also threatened “to hunt down and kill” Juneau Police Department Chief Greg Browning, Assistant Chief Paige Decker, Captain Ed Mercer and Investigator Kim Horn, who tried to negotiate with him by phone throughout the standoff, according to an updated affidavit filed by Brower.


Haines Magistrate Judge John Hutchins, who was filling in for Juneau District Court Judge Thomas Nave, granted Brower’s bail request after Willoughby reserved their bail order.


“I think the state’s request is appropriate,” based on the nature of the offense and the danger presented to the community and victims, Hutchins said.


Brower also requested a blanket condition of release that Wilson be prohibited from contacting any Juneau Department officers, in addition to those listed in the criminal complaint, should Wilson post bail.


Willoughby objected, saying Wilson should only be prohibited from initiating contact with any JPD officers. She didn’t object to her client being prohibited from contacting any of the officers specifically listed in the complaint.


The judge agreed with Willoughby and allowed that conditions of release to be amended.


The nine-minute hearing ended with Wilson shuffling out of the courtroom with Willoughby by his side. He was escorted by an armed court security officer.


Wilson is next scheduled to appear in court later this month on April 20 for a preliminary hearing.


Officers had responded to Wilson’s house of Black Wolf Way around 10:15 p.m. Saturday night when they received a 911 phone call from his wife. Wilson’s wife, only identified as “J.W.” in court papers, told police her husband was suicidal and had a gun.


The shooting began sometime after that, though it’s not immediately clear when. Some neighbors previously told the Empire they did not hear shots until later in the evening.


Brower alleges Wilson, who was wearing an armored vest, attempted to murder officers Lee Phelps, Darin Schultz, Brandon Lawrenson and Krag Campbell.


Phelps was stationed behind some trees behind Wilson’s house, and heard bullets hitting all around him, Brower wrote. A bullet hole was later found in a tree behind where Phelps was stationed, the affidavit states.


Schultz was positioned across the street from Wilson’s house between a truck and a shed that were about 10 to 15 feet apart. Wilson began firing multiple rounds at Schultz’s direction “at a close enough distance that Officer Shultz could hear the rounds whizzing by his head,” Brower wrote. Three rounds were ultimately recovered by the shed, Brower said.


Schultz was also one of the first officers who arrived on scene. He quickly exited his patrol vehicle that was later found with about eight bullet holes in it, according to the document.


Lawrenson was stationed with Krag Campbell between a house and a 24-foot boat across the street. Wilson began shooting at their direction, and Campbell reported hearing bullets “zipping by” his head, the affidavit states.


“Based on the direction from which the rounds were fired, Investigator (Paul) Hatch assessed that Wilson had to move from the downstairs area of his residence to the upstairs in order to fire in the direction of Investigators Lawrenson and Campbell,” the affidavit states. “Wilson also stated to the crisis negotiation team that he could see officers across the street from his house and that he intended to shoot them.”


The three new assault charges are for allegedly placing officers Brian Dallas, Dominic Branson and Lt. David Campbell in fear of imminent serious injury. The three officers were stationed approximately five houses down from Wilson’s house and around the corner.


Wilson fired shots in their direction, and the rounds were skipping off the roadway about 20 to 50 feet away from them, Brower wrote.


“Each of the officers was in fear that they would be injured by the ricochetting rounds,” and moved their position further away, Brower said.


Wilson resigned from JPD in December as he was being investigated for off-duty behavior that allegedly violated police policy and procedure, JPD spokeswoman Cindee Brown-Mills told the Empire Monday.


The subject of that investigation has not been released, though Brown-Mills said it was associated with a psychological condition.


After his resignation, Wilson was working as a juvenile probation officer under the state of Alaska’s Division of Juvenile Justice, according to an online employee directory.


The JPD this week began providing voluntary support services for officers and employees who were involved in or affected by the shooting, Brown-Mills said.


A counselor was available at police headquarters Monday and group sessions on “Group Critical Incident Stress Management” began Tuesday afternoon.


JPD also has a volunteer chaplain available to staff and has encouraged employees to use the city’s Employee Assistance Program if necessary.


Brown-Mills said Tuesday that 22 JPD employees worked during the shooting and an additional six people helped investigate afterward.


• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.

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Comments (32)

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snagger
8248
Points
snagger 04/11/12 - 07:11 am
7
14

Just Wondering?

What's with all the skinheads at the JPD??

kpawsuh
10138
Points
kpawsuh 04/11/12 - 07:14 am
3
10

A SWAT instructor fires

A SWAT instructor fires 75-100 rounds at close quarters and no one is injured? Either we had a severely incompetent SWAT instructor or he didnt intend to actually hit anyone. I know SWAT team members who could have taken the entire team out with one shot per, let alone a SWAT instructor... Just saying, it sounds weird

Concerned Citizen
426
Points
Concerned Citizen 04/11/12 - 07:40 am
3
6

Not surprising

Not surprising that DJJ chose to hire someone of this temperament as a PO. Its been done before !! Was he allowed to hang weapons on his office walls too?

seadog55
383
Points
seadog55 04/11/12 - 08:02 am
5
1

SWAT Instructor Misses Because He Was DRUNK

Has everyone already forgot that he was drunk at the beginning of the standoff? I don't know anyone who has great aim, even using night vision goggles in the dark, when you are drunk and your target is moving and taking cover.

Notice after 5 hours the standoff ends, right about the time the alcohol starts to wear off.

kpawsuh
10138
Points
kpawsuh 04/11/12 - 08:07 am
0
3

Didnt see alcohol mentioned

Didnt see alcohol mentioned in that article anywhere, but that would explain it.

brownbear
240
Points
brownbear 04/11/12 - 08:19 am
3
1

Where have you been, Kpawsuh?

Where have you been, Kpawsuh? The news has been buzzing over drunks and guns lately.

seadog55
383
Points
seadog55 04/11/12 - 08:22 am
1
1

Previous stories mentioned alcohol

The original and followup stories mentioned Wilson was drunk. This story was about his court hearing and additional charges.

wolfmagic2012
2658
Points
wolfmagic2012 04/11/12 - 08:23 am
0
2

Let the healing begin...

Brower's not gonna get the first degree charges to stick. Second degree all the way. This is common practice though.

ken dunker II
3341
Points
ken dunker II 04/11/12 - 08:34 am
13
1

snagger

I keep my hair close-cropped as well. Look around, it is very common for us 'baldies' these days. Does not make me a "skinhead" which is carries a negative connotation.

J. E. Fume
5002
Points
J. E. Fume 04/11/12 - 09:45 am
6
2

This is a tragic story. I'm

This is a tragic story. I'm really glad nobody was killed. I wish Mr. Wilson could have gotten the help he needed before he went off the deep end. Mixing anti-depressants and alcohol can be a deadly cocktail in and of itself.
While I certainly feel for Mr. Wilson, society cannot condone the kind of behavior he displayed last weekend.

hiker
941
Points
hiker 04/11/12 - 09:45 am
1
3

Skinheads?

I know lots of guys that shave their heads for various reasons. Some just like not having to comb it.

It seems to me Troy was suicidal and hoping to have a last stand with the JPD. I think he wanted to get killed. It's a tragedy that plays itself too often. In an act of desperation someone decides to go Rambo, often hoping to die and to take a few with him.

I think the JPD did a good job in this case. They stayed close enough to the house to keep Troy contained but far enough away and protected enough that he didn't have any good targets. The JPD also had the patience to wait him out.

proalaska
-1
Points
proalaska 04/11/12 - 10:28 am
4
5

Sounds like he was headed for rehab

Another drunk at JPD. This is not surprising. There are some really great officers; but some are just abusive drunks.

juneaugold
21
Points
juneaugold 04/11/12 - 10:33 am
2
1

goes deeper than the circumstance

Im not gonna say JPD is messed up, its all relative, good cop, bad cop.....but its pretty bad when we're handing out more jail time to JPD staff than we are criminals.

This is a mental health issue. Not just for Troy, but the community as a whole.

I just want a good place for our children to grow up. how do we get this community back on track?

It is as if this town is systematically being torn apart from its roots. Here's a good indicator: supposedly, A&P is closing its doors in Sept! (JE needs to write about this, go get 'em)

BubbRubb
545
Points
BubbRubb 04/11/12 - 10:41 am
2
10

@juneaugold

A&P is closing?? Good riddance!

lcummins
74
Points
lcummins 04/11/12 - 11:21 am
3
2

JPD

The Juneau Police Department does a fine job. I am impressed with the professionalism of the officers. They do a vital job for our community, which still is a great place to raise a family. I can't imagine having to deal with all the stuff they do on a daily basis. I feel sick to my stomach over this whole incident......

kpawsuh
10138
Points
kpawsuh 04/11/12 - 11:49 am
5
4

Sorry, actually tried to have

Sorry, actually tried to have a life recently and haven't "lived" in the newspaper. Guess I missed that part.

snagger
8248
Points
snagger 04/11/12 - 01:46 pm
0
6

Short hair??

Ken and hiker-- I was at a 4th of July parade and noticed almost all the cops had shaved heads; not just short. I have friends, like myself, with close cropped hair. It just seemed odd that the JPD seemed very "uniform".I find them intimidating and now, I know some of them are also dangerous!

really
812
Points
really 04/11/12 - 02:23 pm
5
2

Intimidating because they

Intimidating because they have short or shaved hair! Give me a break! You are stereo typing them as being intimidating and dangerous because of how they look?! I do believe that if a police officer made that same comment you just made, the public would jump all over him/her for being porejudiced!
Further more, police officers are people like you and I. They are not immune to stress and breakdowns just like the population at large. I am not making an excuse for Wilson or what has happened. What I am saying is that just because this man was dangerous and did what he did, that does not make all officers dangerous. The Green River Killer was a painter. Does that mean every painter is a serial killer? Why paint police with such a broad brush because of the acts of one ex-officer?

hiker
941
Points
hiker 04/11/12 - 03:50 pm
3
2

Bigger issues than hair

Snagger. I don't care about hair. Like you I am not fond of the shaved head look but I figure each to his own.

What concerns me most about Troy's situation is that we don't have an effective way to deal with the person that cracks and wants to go out in a blaze of glory. That happens all too often too and not just in Juneau. It's a national phenomenon that happens less in other countries

I don't think gun laws deal with the problem. They penalize the rest of us that wouldn't dream of a shootout with the cops. I don't think the death penalty helps either because the person that starts a shootout with the cops often thinks and sometime hopes he is going to die. Indeed, I think Troy wanted to die and hoped to take a few with him. No legal deterrent can stop a person that wants to crash and burn.

Unfortunately, Troy will need to be put away for a long time. Troy knew this too. He may regret his actions now but we really can't trust that he won't crack again and the consequences next time could be tragic to more people than Troy.

There is something is wrong in our society that too often we don't do anything to help people before they reach the breaking point. I don't think it has anything to do with the potential closing of A&P but it may have a lot to do with our general acceptance of violence. That or we don't care enough for the mentally ill. I am not sure.

I think a public discussion of the hows and whys is in order. Troy didn't start out this way and neither did a host of other violent criminals that end up dead or in jail for a long time.

Edit to add: I am NOT sympathetic to criminals like Troy after the fact. Even though he failed at killing anyone, Troy's thinking and that of a suicide bomber were basically the same. I think we need to focus more on not creating these mentalities in the first place.

Edjuhmuhcated
54
Points
Edjuhmuhcated 04/11/12 - 02:56 pm
0
2

Hmmmm

I've mostly had good experiences with the officers of this town...

On the other hand, Mr. Wilson is extremely lucky one of his 75-90 shots didn't hit one of his neighbor's, or their family, or one of the officers... I know he has support on this forum but it would be a lot less if his brainless call for help hurt an innocent bystander...

I wonder where they're gonna put him. Hopefully in a mental ward and not the pen as they're not too nice to the boys in blue in thurr...

Maybe he'll spiral out of this, go to the Himalayas and confront his worst fear by inhaling a magic flower, then come back and turn into Batman...

NoDoubt
40
Points
NoDoubt 04/11/12 - 03:38 pm
4
2

Suicide by Cop is Questionable

If Troy Wilson truly wanted to die, why didn't he step out of his doorway while shooting? Instead, he hunkered down in his house. Neighbors and JPD are very lucky he was drunker than a skunk and couldn't aim, night vision goggles or not.

I don't profess to know his reason for doing what he did; but I do know that my heart goes out to his family. They have to face the public scrutiny/scorn/condemnation (somebody posted some ugly allegations about his spouse a couple days ago) while Troy is safely tucked away in LCCC.

hiker
941
Points
hiker 04/11/12 - 04:18 pm
0
1

Suicide by cop

Nodoubt. Suicide attempt or no, it is clear that the death penalty wouldn't have changed Wilson's behavior one whit. You don't willingly take on a SWAT team if you are afraid to die. Wilson knew that his own death was a very likely outcome of his shooting spree.

In my mind Wilson differs from suicide bombers only in the fact that he failed to kill anybody and he failed to get himself killed. His actions suggest he wanted to do both.

How do we prevent people from reaching this point? Wilson was once a decent person that wouldn't have dreamed he would do something like this.

NoDoubt
40
Points
NoDoubt 04/11/12 - 04:56 pm
1
1

@hiker

Some bloggers have suggested Wilson was trying for suicide by cop as a reason for what he did. I don't feel that was the case here; nor am I saying that he should have been killed.

You ask how we prevent people from reaching this point. It's extremely difficult to get the court to commit a family member to a mental health facility--something bad usually has to happen to demonstrate the need for hospitalization and by then it is sometimes too late to prevent a tragedy. Very sad. Lives can be destroyed because families' hands are tied by the court system's reluctance/standards for committing people to mental health facilities.

optimusprime
-6
Points
optimusprime 04/11/12 - 06:30 pm
1
1

after

after reading this page I feel they seem to be going about this the right way. Good to give counseling to those who need it. Hopefully Wilson can have some also.

chaseley1
4
Points
chaseley1 04/11/12 - 09:45 pm
1
1

Bail... Really?

Funny how this guy gets the opportunity to get bailed out.. When other sit in jail without that chance. People such as http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/17810861/article-Facebook-posts-hel...?

Not saying a scumbag like that deserves the oppritunity to get bailed out, but we need set standards across the board... Come on... 4 counts of attempted Murder and this guys has the ability to walk the streets again? WTF is wrong with our system.

Jo MacNamara
697
Points
Jo MacNamara 04/11/12 - 10:13 pm
1
4

The death penalty

Since the focus here has shifted, here's my thoughts on the death penalty.

The death penalty for murder isn't justice. It's vengeance.

The death penalty is not a deterrent for murder. If someone wants to murder someone, they will find a way. The repercussions are the furthest things from their minds.

And since the death penalty has been wrongly used in the past, where the condemned has later been acquitted, I am very happy we do not have that barbaric form of punishment in Alaska.

Now, let's get back to the issue at hand please.

Good
2045
Points
Good 04/11/12 - 10:30 pm
0
1

They should test`

They should run a battery of medical tests on this guy just to make sure there isn't something physically wrong that was a contributing factor. A long time ago there was a sniper in a texas tower that had a brain tumor. Basic insomnia or sleep deprivation can cause a sever loss of prospective - but if there's something else - blood sugar, on coming schizophrenia... a brain tumor...

I wouldn't want to go over board or suggest that there is some issue but it's something basic that ought to be checked on. This is such an extreme situation given his general background. It makes you wonder what really caused a total wig out like that.

Maybe it's just booze and inability to cope....

jnu65
-2
Points
jnu65 04/12/12 - 01:40 pm
0
1

Rough road ahead

It's really shocking to hear the negativity about the JPD. Many who have served and/or retired worked for my father when they were teenagers back in the 70's. Some were coaches in the Juneau Youth Football League when we went to HS with Troy. Since leaving Juneau for college and the military, I have lived in several cities, both large and small throughout the lower 48. The JPD is no different. They are good and squared away. Those of us that grew up with Troy are shocked. We are not condoning it whatsoever though. Thank God none was injured or killed. No one knows his mental state at that time, but there seems to be a lot of shrinks in here though. But they will do a full evaluation on him. Wherever he ends up, he will have to be put into protective custody. He won't be able to be like an normal inmate. Some of you will say good, but that will be tough none the less.

CommonCents
6
Points
CommonCents 04/13/12 - 10:44 am
0
1

Tried and True Defense

Just claim you were really drunk and you'll be out in a week. Heck, you didn't even shoot any of your buddies in the head.

ethicaldilemma
98
Points
ethicaldilemma 04/15/12 - 03:35 pm
0
1

Really...

New charges of Assault for Officers that were "5 houses down and around the corner.." Really...can you say stacking charges. Might be another Joshua BURGER over charge situation. Are the Troopers investigating this case. I hope so. Not that JPD might not do a good job, but common sense says let an outside agency conduct the investigation just to keep things on the up an up. With so many officers involved how do you keep those "victim/officers" from investigating the case. Hearing stories of the arrogance in the top brass at JPD they are probably making their officers work the case. Just salt the wound.

SNAGGER - I would speculate there are a lot of bald or balding officers (Skinhead carries a negative stigma) at JPD because of the kind of work they do. Probably slightly stressful from time to time. Heck, just look at what it did to Lt Troy Wilson.

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