Juneau police say they have arrested two of six people connected to a group attack on an Alaskan Hotel and Bar employee last week, and charges for the other four alleged attackers are forthcoming.
Bobby Paul, 18, is believed to be one of six people who attacked Wesley Johnson outside the Alaskan Hotel and Bar, where Johnson works, on June 6, according to a Juneau Police Department press release. JPD spokeswoman Erann Kalwara said police contacted Paul, who is originally from Angoon, just past midnight Tuesday in the downtown area following an investigation.
“(Paul) wasn’t forthcoming about who he was,” Kalwara said, so police took him to Lemon Creek Correctional Center where he was identified, then arrested for second-degree robbery and second-degree assault, both class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Paul’s arrest came just hours after the alleged victim, Johsnon, made a public plea at Monday night’s city Assembly meeting, appearing visibly bruised and injured. Johnson called for the city and police to do more to stop violent crimes downtown.
[Downtown violence seizes Assembly conversation]
“They saw me as a white person, and they were just out looking for a fight,” Johnson told Assembly members, recalling the night he was attacked.
Johnson told police that several individuals began yelling inappropriate comments at him June 6 while he was standing outside the Alaskan Hotel and Bar. According to JPD’s press release, Johnson was attacked after he responded to their comments. Johnson was held in a choke hold and hit across his face, then his possessions were taken along with a small amount of cash. An ambulance transported Johnson to Bartlett Regional Hospital to treat injuries to his face and body.
Kalwara said police will not reveal at this time the comments that were exchanged between Johnson and the suspects because the case is still under investigation. JPD Deputy Chief Ed Mercer said the case does not appear to be motivated by racial tensions, despite Johnson’s comment about being white, and the attack was most likely an “opportunity-type crime.”
Kalwara said police also have a second person in custody tied to the six-on-one attack, but she said she police won’t reveal that person’s name until the Juneau District Attorney’s office goes forward with formal charges. Kalwara said the five remaining suspects are all believed to be from Juneau.
Although police were not able to locate the suspects immediately following the incident, Kalwara said a group of at least six different officers worked the case in the past week with one primary officer interviewing several witnesses.
“There was a lot of evidence and information being complied and evaluated, interviews with a lot of different people and a lot of officers involved,” Kalwara said.
Paul made his first court appearance for the assault and robbery charges Tuesday before Juneau District Court Judge Thomas Nave. His next court appearance was not updated to online court records by the end of the business day. Online records did show that Paul pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a January incident in Angoon. He also has an open case in Angoon for allegedly violating the conditions of a domestic violence protective order.
• Contact reporter Paula Ann Solis at 523-2272 or paula.solis@juneauempire.com.
