Juneau police officer fatally shoots woman who refused to drop hatchet during confrontation.

A woman was shot and killed by a Juneau police officer on Christmas morning after she approached officers with a hatchet and refused to put it down, police reported. The incident occurred outside the Breeze In grocery in the Mendenhall Valley after a call about the woman screaming at people and threatening a caller with a hammer. Despite attempts to use a taser, the woman continued to advance toward the officers with the hatchet, leading to her being shot by one of the officers and declared dead at the scene. The woman, identified as 30 years old, was apparently homeless and known to local residents in similar circumstances.

This incident comes after a similar shooting in July, where a homeless man was shot and killed by police after a confrontation in downtown Juneau. The man had threatened officers with a knife and was shot by Juneau police officer and Alaska Wildlife Trooper after less lethal attempts failed to stop him.

The Juneau Police Department, along with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the Christmas morning shooting, and the Office of Special Prosecutions will review the case. The officers involved have not been identified. This incident adds to continued discussions about encounters between law enforcement and individuals in vulnerable situations.

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