Sergeant Anthony Michael Wallace

Anthony Michael Wallace

Sergeant Anthony Wallace and Officer Matthew Tokuoka were ambushed and killed by a lone gunman.

Officer Tokuoka, who was off-duty, was in his car with his family when he stopped to talk to Sergeant Wallace who was standing outside his vehicle. Sergeant Wallace's mother was visiting him in Alaska and was accompanying him on a ride along at the time.

A man who the two officers had arrested on several occasions in the past opened fire on Sergeant Wallace from a concealed position nearby, striking Sergeant Wallace in the leg and chest, penetrating his vest.

Officer Tokuoka was able to radio in a brief situation report and then attempted to drag Sergeant Wallace to cover when he was shot twice in the chest.

Although he was mortally wounded, Sergeant Wallace was able to warn responding officers and rescue personnel of the shooter's location.

Sergeant Wallace was medevacked to Juneau by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and died while undergoing emergency surgery at Bartlett Memorial Hospital in the early morning hours August 29th; Officer Tokuoka passed away just before midnight on August 28th at the Hoonah Clinic ER before he could be flown to a trauma center.

The suspect, a former Army marksman, fled to his house and barricaded himself inside; Hoonah officers, an Alaska State Trooper and an off-duty Wrangel Police officer contained the shooter in his house as he continued to fire on officers. Responding Alaska State Troopers and Juneau police SWAT teams were delayed by high seas and wind shears, which made aircraft and small boats unusable. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter brought SWAT personnel from Juneau Police, Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Forest Service officers the following morning. A two day standoff ensued and the suspect surrendered after the use of tear gas.

In January of 2012 an Alaska superior court judge ruled that the suspect was not mentally competent to stand trial, however, that ruling was overturned. He was subsequently convicted of two counts of first degree murder on November 3rd, 2012. On April 4th, 2013, the subject was sentenced to 198 years in prison.

Sergeant Anthony Wallace, who was legally deaf, had served for the Hoonah Police Department for four years. He had previously served as a non-sworn public safety officer with the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He is survived by his mother and daughter, father and step-mother, three brothers, and grandmother.

The badge numbers of Sergeant Wallace and Officer Tokuoka were retired following their murders. The Hoonah City Council proclaimed the memorial service day for both officers, September 8th, as Anthony Wallace and Matthew Tokuoka Day.

In April of 2011, Sergeant Wallace was posthumously awarded the Police Medal of Heroism by the governor of Alaska.