Steven Kissack, homeless man known for his dog companion Juno, killed in a confrontation with police downtown

Steven Kissack, 35, a homeless Juneau resident who was often seen downtown with his dog Juno, was shot and killed Monday afternoon during a confrontation with police that involved the use of a knife.

The incident occurred around 1:10 p.m. on Front Street, an area where police and witnesses said Kissack was frequently seen. An altercation between Kissack and a Juneau Police Department officer escalated into the deadly situation, according to a Monday evening news release from Alaska State Troopers.

“During the contact, Kissack pulled out a knife and refused to comply with the officer’s commands,” the release states. “The Juneau Police Officer requested additional law enforcement officers in the area to assist, and an Alaska Wildlife Trooper from Juneau and several JPD officers arrived on the scene. Officers negotiated with Kissack for several minutes, asking him to drop the knife he was brandishing, but he continued to refuse to follow commands.”

JPD officers fired non-lethal bean bag rounds at Kissack, but he refused to comply with commands and attacked officers while waving the knife, the release said.

“Multiple law enforcement officers fired their weapons, striking Kissack,” the press release states. “Despite life-saving efforts by on-scene police and emergency medical services, Kissack was pronounced dead at a Juneau-area hospital. No law enforcement officers or bystanders were injured. Kissack’s body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. His next of kin have been notified.”

JPD officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave, according to AST. An Alaska Wildlife Trooper who fired a weapon was placed on 72 hours of administrative leave, per state policy, and the person’s name will be released in three days.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigative agency, according to the AST press release.

“They are in Juneau and will thoroughly investigate the incident,” the press release said. “Once their investigation is complete, it will be independently reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions to determine if the deadly use of force was justified.”

Kissack said in an Empire article published on Christmas Day 2023 that he has lived in Juneau for about 10 years. He grew up in Florida and then moved to Texas, where his mother died. After that, he moved frequently before ending up in Juneau.

Steven Kissack and his dog Juno seek shelter in the entrance of the Front Street Clinic building on Dec. 24, 2023. Kissack was shot and killed outside the building on Monday. (File photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

He said he initially did painting and construction work without planning to stay in Juneau for so long. Over the years, he has had numerous encounters with police, including an assault case involving a police officer in 2021. He also frequently interacted with people who stopped by where he slept to bring him and Juno things like groceries.

An observer who said he knew Kissack and declined to be interviewed escorted Juno away from the scene after the ambulance carrying Kissack drove away.

A video posted on Facebook by The Alaska Landmine shows police surrounding Kissack and firing what appear to be non-lethal rounds. He then makes a sudden move and police fire several shots.

Several other homeless Juneau residents who were either at the scene or nearby when the shooting occurred angrily and tearfully described Kissack and his encounter with police on Monday.

“Once you got to know him, he was a pretty nice guy,” said William Sanders, who has known Kissack for three or four years and witnessed the shooting. “I hadn’t been downtown for two months and then I see my best friend get shot.”

Some of the interviewees who knew Kissack acknowledged that the situation was complicated by his stabbing at police and that he had had problems with officers over the years. However, they said that most of the time they spent with him was simply talking and surviving.

“He’s a cool guy, he was never disrespectful,” said Jonathan James, who has known Kissack for several years and watched the aftermath of the incident as police continued their investigation at the scene. “Sure, he was doing drugs. But he and his dog were always down here… If he had (something), we had it – he shared it with everyone.”

Late Monday afternoon, Karen Perkins, pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church, waited outside in the parking lot of the Bartlett Regional Hospital emergency room. She said she hoped to be accepted as the hospital’s pastor to offer spiritual counseling.

She said she has known Kissack for years because of the church’s weekly food distribution. He was a regular at the church’s shelter for two winters until last year, and she and other church members sometimes sought him out on the street to help.

Juno, a dog owned by Steven Kissack, watches police respond after Kissack was shot on Front Street on Monday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Kissack was “a person around whom others flocked,” but there were also phases in which he was withdrawn because “he himself was suffering,” said Perkins.

“I’ve always found him to be a kind of anchor and very reliable, who has moments when he just likes to take off,” she said.

According to an announcement released Monday evening, Resurrection Lutheran Church has scheduled a vigil for Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church at 740 W. 10th St.

The shooting occurred hours before the Juneau Assembly received an update on the city’s homeless ordinances and the impact of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning outdoor sleeping. A memo from the city’s legal department provided to Assembly members states, “This ruling allows cities to enforce laws related to camping on public property, such as trespassing and littering, but does not require them to do so.”

“As it relates to CBJ’s homeless population, first responders and law enforcement officers are no longer required to search for available emergency shelters prior to enforcement,” the ruling states. “CBJ’s current ordinances generally apply to anyone living in or visiting Juneau and can be enforced accordingly.”

The Assembly adopted a “dispersed camping” policy earlier this year due to numerous reports of illegal activity at the city-sanctioned Mill Campground last summer. However, social services agencies such as Glory Hall report disruptive behavior from people camping nearby seeking assistance.

At Monday’s meeting, MPs demanded that the city administration provide a further update on the situation at a future meeting after a period of time – probably a few months – to assess the enforcement of existing policies in light of the impact of the Supreme Court ruling.

City Manager Katie Koester opened the meeting by saying, “I want to take a moment and acknowledge the tragedy that occurred this afternoon in downtown Juneau.”

“Our deepest condolences go out to the families of all those involved in this tragic incident,” she said.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at [email protected] or (907) 957-2306.