Anchorage Police Identify Officer and Suspect in Fatal Industry Way Shooting

A struggle between a suspect and Anchorage police ended in a fatal shooting on Industry Way on Thursday. Officer Jace Vickerman fired a single round that killed Rodrigo Gonzalez, 33, after Gonzalez fired one shot during the scuffle.

The incident followed a sequence of events that began early in the day. At 10:05 a.m., police received a report of a burglary at a business on Lore Road. Officers located Gonzalez around 12201 Industry Way at 1:41 p.m. Police noted that they had been seeking Gonzalez on two felony warrants issued on Oct. 4. A physical struggle occurred on the ground between the suspect and an officer, during which Gonzalez discharged his weapon.

Vickerman arrived at the scene at 1:42 p.m. He fired once, striking Gonzalez. Emergency medical personnel attempted to treat the suspect at the location but pronounced him dead. APD Chief Sean Case detailed these events during a press conference held on Thursday.

The department has initiated two layers of review to examine the use of force. The Office of Special Prosecutions will first determine if the shooting was justified. Following that assessment, APD Internal Affairs will check for any policy violations in Vickerman’s actions. As standard procedure, Vickerman is on administrative leave.

Police have completed notifications to Gonzalez’s next of kin. The investigation remains active as both the special prosecutor and internal affairs teams conduct their respective inquiries.