Police were called to Bartlett Regional Hospital at 7 p.m. Saturday after two men with stab wounds showed up for treatment.
Officers say a 45-year-old Juneau man claimed he was awakened after being stabbed in the arm by his friend, “who accused him of theft,” a Juneau Police Department release said.
After a struggle for the knife, the 49-year-old Juneau man who allegedly attacked the 45-year-old man received cuts to the face. The men said the incident took place in the 300 block of Fourth Street in downtown Juneau. Alcohol was involved and police are investigating the incident.
Comments (64)
Add commentLaziness and enabling!
@Paul...It would seem to me that any legistlation aimed at the panhandling issue, is a loser on 2 fronts. First, as you stated it's against the AK constitution. 2d As a normal decision making human being, I am worried that once we start legislating good behavior and common sense, we're really toast. Because it is good behavior to avoid enabling a transient/drunk's lifestyle and it's just common sense to want these people to go away and stop messing with the perfect landscape of our imagined hometown. You can't legislate behaviors of the accepted norm. Legislating my decision making process is kinda scary. Like I said, until the $$$ make it feasible for the majority of the tax payers to vote in a "No alcohol or panhandling zone" type of answer or the cruise lines want some kind of "igloo building made easy" cite or whatever for daily seminars in the area. Nada will happen for the peace of mind of the little guys who can only afford the area's cheaper rents and ease of shopping and entertainment. Although lately the entertainment is rated "R" for violence, language, openly consuming alcohol and partial if not total nudity at times. No, it won't be tomorrow and it certainly won't be an easy fix. But, like the end result for Seattle's Pioneer Sq, the metamorphosis will be worth the damage done by whatever crap it takes to get the place back to what it was once proud of. A beautifully rustic and historic American Gold Rush icon that should be gleaming not dreaming. Peace!
An Interim Solution
Frankly, I am glad that the Glory Hole, and therefore the homeless, are downtown in plain view. If they were tucked away somewhere- not only would they not stay there – but it would give us the ability to forget that they are there, that they are “the least of us”, those by which a society is judged.
I do have a suggestion for a partial solution. Since, as I mentioned earlier, if one does not pass the breathalyzer test one has to leave the Glory Hole for the night, I would like to see a place that caters to those who ARE drunk or have crossed the line. A place with at least two staff at all times, a place that serves coffee and sandwiches and/or soup, a place where games, such as chess and checkers, could be played, a place where one is allowed to lay one’s head on the table and sleep. NOT a place where one can nip at a bottle without having it confiscated overnight and NOT a place where scores are settled or violence of any kind is tolerated.
A place that would open, say, at 10:00 at night and where everyone would leave at 6:00 AM.
Call it an interim place, a place where quite possibly a person who had not previously passed the breathalyzer test might decide that a bed for the night sounded pretty good, worth passing up a few drinks for.
A place, say, like the Glory Hole after the patrons have retired upstairs for the night at 9:30 and the downstairs is not staffed by the usual crew until 7:00 the next morning.
@skatdachef & Elva
@skatdachef - my intention (about prohibiting panhandling) was to prevent the constant onslaught of requests for change. In part because I am not a rich man and cannot afford to take on more mouths to feed; although, I wish I could help them all. The main reason is because they often get aggressive, and it is gangster to demand money from someone. However, you bring up a good point that I did not think of: that would be taking away your right to give them money if you wanted to. My intention is not to legislate good behavior, which I also disagree with the government doing so. I still feel the problem needs to be fixed, not for the beautification of downtown as much as for the safety of our women folk that I see accosted on the streets.
@Elva - I agree that they should not be tucked away and forgotten; however, I do not think downtown is the answer. They are people, and I hope not too many people think of them as the "least of us"; that is a terrible way to think. No matter what you think of me because of my stance on this, I do not believe I am better, nor worse, than any other human; we are truly equal. I am not trying to take away from the homeless, but I do not think the current situation is working. I am split on agreeing with you about some of your other thoughts. I am all for helping those with mental disabilities. Alcoholism may be a bigger problem for some, but unlike mental disabilities they did it to themselves, at least in part. I say that because even if psychologists agree that alcoholism is a disease, there is no evidence that suggests it made them take their first drink. Even if that is disagreed upon, can we agree that if someone drinks to the point that they become homeless, it is unlikely things will change for the poor souls? At the same time if one can be helped it could be worth a specific effort. I am against my own money being used to help alcoholics have a nice place to drink, but if others want to spend their own money on it, then more power to them. I doubt you and I will ever see eye-to-eye on this issue. I do not think poorly of your ideas, but I have seen too many bad apples downtown to think that there is not a problem. I hope you continue to do whatever you are doing to help them and they are lucky to have people like you that feel the way you do. I think you said in a post above that your heart is not particularly kind; however, I disagree, unless you just like to argue :) because you seem to really care.
Oh Well, nuke em!
Naw, just kidding. As I stated about the same situation in Seattle. Once an area is designated 'no BS allowed here' whoever does the accosting from then on gets an extended stay in our fine facilities at LC. Aggressive and beligerent panhandling is a definite assault and should not be tolerated. A possible solution is plain as day and it's a throwback to bygone police work. It's called the cop on the beat. More foot patrols are needed and harsher penalties for repeat offenders. It is a disappointing aspect of society that this is a reality, but it doesn't have to be a part of the common persons existence to fend off these people. As long as we have a supposed public downtown area and cops that are our paid protection, then the powers that be must keep it from becoming gladiator school for drunks and homeless. Not a "Walk at your own risk" or be prepared to defend yourself. More beat cops, not ride around and peek once in a while types. Peace!