Suspect in Hoonah police officer shootings surrenders

August 29, 2010|by Jackie Bartz and Lori Tipton

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — State troopers say 45-year-old John Marvin Jr., the suspect in the shooting of two police officers in Hoonah Saturday night, surrendered at about 9:30 a.m. Monday after a weekend standoff.

Officials say Marvin shot and killed 39-year-old Officer Matthew Tokuoka and 32-year-old Sgt. Anthony Wallace, then barricaded himself in his home.

This incident wasn't the first run-in Marvin had with the officers he is accused of murdering. Court records show, Marvin was charged with assaulting the two policemen in 2009, but those charges were eventually dropped.

Agencies from all over Alaska, including State Troopers, Coast Guard, U.S. Forest Service and Wildlife Troopers worked to arrest the man allegedly responsible for the shooting.

“This was the best way it could have ended,” said Capt. Barry Wilson, Alaska State Troopers.

Wilson won't reveal specific details on the tactics used to get Marvin out of the home where he was barricaded.

“All I know is that he came out of the house and peacefully surrendered and followed all the instructions of the team and nobody was harmed in that incident, which is the good outcome of this incident,” Wilson said.

Troopers say around 10:30 Saturday night on front street, Marvin ambushed the two Hoonah officers.
Witnesses say Tokuoka and his family were driving home when they stopped to talk to Wallace.

According to witnesses, while the two were engaged in a conversation, Marvin approached them and opened fire on Wallace without warning. As Wallace collapsed, Tokuoka got out of the car to help him. That's when he was shot.

Tokuoka's wife and children witnessed the shooting, as well as Wallace's mother, who was visiting from Florida.

“Everybody is in shock and they're in wonder, you know, nobody just really understands it,” said David Austin, owner of Tideland Tackle in Hoonah.

The attack has left many in Hoonah trying to comprehend what prompted Marvin to shoot and kill the two officers.

“He must be insane. I don't know how anyone else could do that without being mentally deranged,” said Austin.

Despite the tragedy, Troopers say they are happy the standoff ended without other lives being lost.

“In the outcome of the event, we are very pleased with the peaceful, calm way in which we were able to get him out of the residence, that it was solved from that perspective and that he is in custody so the department of justice can deal with outcome of the investigation,” said Wilson.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is in Hoonah to hopefully figure out why Marvin went after these two men, for a second time.

In the meantime, Gov. Sean Parnell ordered state flags to be lowered to honor the lives of the two slain officers.

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