Officer shot to death
Veteran Kenai cop killed with his own gun
KENAI - A Kenai man was charged Friday with first-degree murder and first-degree assault in the shooting of a police officer here, Alaska State Troopers said.
Officer John Watson, 43, was shot in the head with his own gun Thursday night while responding to a request from troopers for assistance in finding a sport utility vehicle driven by David Forster, a 33-year-old Kenai fishing guide.
A citizen had reported to troopers that Forster and a 21-year old woman had left her residence in the SUV and that Forster appeared intoxicated and agitated.
Watson, an 18-year veteran of the Kenai police force, went to Forster's home. He reported that he had stopped the SUV in Forster's driveway. The woman took two dogs from the vehicle into the house.
A few minutes later Watson radioed dispatch that he needed assistance. A Kenai police sergeant and a state trooper were sent to the scene.
Forster and Watson are believed to have struggled when Watson tried to arrest him, troopers said. Forster grabbed Watson's service weapon, a .45-caliber semiautomatic Glock, troopers said.
An autopsy indicated that Watson was shot twice, troopers said. The first shot struck him in the back between the shoulder blades. The bullet was deflected by his protective vest, but it left a large bruise and probably stunned or partially paralyzed him, troopers said.
The second shot was to the back of the head, troopers said.
Forster then went into his house, where the woman took the gun from him and put it in the bedroom, troopers said.
Forster refused to come out when additional officers arrived at the scene. The woman ran from the house, unharmed. The officers attempted for several hours to persuade Forster to come out. He surrendered just after 1 a.m. Friday, troopers said.
He was arrested and taken to the Wildwood Pre-trial Facility at Kenai. Forster was arraigned Friday afternoon in Kenai District Court. Judge David Landry set bail $500,000, cash only.
As Forster entered the courtroom, he grinned at spectators in the gallery and at police Lt. Kim Wannamaker, who sat beside prosecutor June Stein, the Peninsula Clarion in Kenai reported.
During the 30-minute proceeding, Forster often peered at the ceiling through cupped hands, winked at members of the media, whistled and whispered to a defendant chained alongside him, the newspaper said.
Forster was restrained by bailiffs at one point, and the defendant sitting next to him was unshackled from Forster and moved to a separate seating area.
Forster spoke several times during the proceeding, mostly to answer yes or no to questions asked by the judge, the Peninsula Clarion said.
When asked if he wanted to be represented by counsel, Forster said: "I want to use my pastor, because he's my witness."
"We're not talking about a witness, we're talking about someone who can represent you in a court of law," Landry said.
Also on Friday, Gov. Frank Murkowski ordered Alaska state flags lowered to half-staff in Watson's memory.
"We are abhorred by the sudden and violent death of Officer Watson, even as we hope, as a civilized society, that these kinds of crimes would not happen," Murkowski said. "Last night's death reminds us that our peace officers do put their lives on the line every day when they go to work."
Watson is the 40th Alaska law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty since statehood in 1959.
• Editor's note: Donations are being accepted by the Kenai Firefighters Association in advance of establishing a special account. Call 283-7666 for more information.