APD confirms SWAT officer killed East Anchorage resident in standoff

The Anchorage Police Department confirmed Monday that a SWAT officer killed a woman during a standoff at her East Anchorage home two weeks ago, marking the department’s third homicide and fourth shooting since May 13.

Police did not initially confirm whether officers killed 58-year-old Lisa Fordyce-Blair or whether her death occurred in some other way.

Police arrested her on June 19 for assault. Another officer’s court records show that a neighbor of Fodyce-Blair’s called police. The neighbor and his son were working in the garden that afternoon when Fordyce-Blair came outside and shouted at them while holding a long gun.

When police arrived, she was home alone and refused to come out. A standoff ensued, which escalated as multiple special police units arrived, including a SWAT team using tear gas.

Police said they heard gunshots inside the home. Eventually, Sergeant Jonathan Butler shot into the home and killed Fordyce-Blaire, police said. She had no prior criminal history.

The state Bureau of Special Prosecutions is investigating Butler’s use of force. The police department’s internal affairs division will then review the case for policy violations.

A small group of protesters who showed up at Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s inauguration ceremony on Monday demanded police oversight and the release of body-worn camera footage.

The SWAT officers did not wear body cameras, although officers in the three previous shootings did. LaFrance’s new police chief, Sean Case, said last week that SWAT officers would wear body cameras under his supervision. He also said he wanted to be more transparent about when body-worn camera footage would be released.