Police look into reports of assaults against Natives
Juneau police are investigating several recent reported assaults against Alaska Natives, though they cannot say whether the incidents are related.
Capt. Tom Porter began shifting officers from other duties Monday to focus on the alleged assaults, which some citizens have reported as being against young people last week and over the weekend.
Porter would not say whether the reported assaults could be called hate crimes.
"I can't tell you if they're racially motivated," he said of the incidents, which he numbered as "about three." He said he couldn't discuss details because of the continuing investigation.
Porter said police received complaints of alleged assaults but have little direct information. He said he could not discuss details because the incidents were under investigation, and nothing was entered in the police media bulletin.
Porter said he is aware of rumors of racial assaults but said he would not discuss them. One rumor has a group of repeat assailants traveling in a white van.
"Rumor doesn't do us any good," Porter said. But he added, "We are looking at everything that is coming in to us."
He said police need direct information as opposed to people relating things they've heard. He urged anyone with any information to contact police.
"We can't say if (recent assaults) are tied together," Porter said.
The investigation will stretch back a year to see if incidents that might have appeared isolated may be related to the recent reports of assault.
• Tony Carroll can be reached at tony.carroll@juneauempire.com.