5/1/22 FPD Press Release - Shooting/Multiple Charges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Shooting/Multiple Charges – 122 Turner Street

DATE: May 1, 2022

MEDIA CONTACT: Teal Soden, Communications Director, 907-459-6793, tsoden@fairbanks.us

On Saturday, April 30th, at approximately 2:42am, a Fairbanks Police Officer was conducting a traffic stop on 2nd Avenue when he heard multiple gunshots coming from the vicinity of the Big I, located at 122 Turner Street. The officer responded to the area while relaying the information to dispatchers, who sent multiple officers to the scene.

Arriving on scene, the officer observed a black Jeep Wrangler that was disabled on Terminal Street. There were two uninjured occupants in the Jeep Wrangler, an adult male and an adult female. The adult male indicated that someone had shot at them and that the shooter was still on scene. Multiple bullet holes were observed along the driver’s side of the Jeep and through the spare tire cover. Other officers that arrived spoke to witnesses who gave a description of the suspect, who was then located sitting in the driver’s seat of a Jeep Renegade parked on scene. The suspect was identified as TRAVIS DANDRE AUSTIN (DOB 10/22/90), of Fort Wainwright. He was detained without incident and then positively identified as the shooter by the victims who had been shot at. Other witnesses on scene also positively identified AUSTIN as the shooter.

Subsequent investigation revealed that AUSTIN had gotten into a physical altercation with the male victim inside of the bar before they were all kicked out, at which point AUSTIN reportedly stated someone “is about to die”. In the parking lot, the male and female got into their vehicle to leave when AUSTIN approached and began firing a handgun at them. Seven spent .45 caliber handgun casings were recovered from the parking lot.

During interactions with FPD officers, AUSTIN stated that he had consumed four alcoholic beverages while inside the bar. He would not say whether or not he had fired a handgun in the parking lot.

AUSTIN was placed under arrest for the following charges:
• Assault in the Third Degree x2 (recklessly placed another person in fear of imminent serious physical injury by means of a dangerous instrument)
• Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Second Degree (discharged a firearm at or in the direction of a building with reckless disregard for the risk of physical injury to a person)
• Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Fourth Degree (possessed on him/herself, or in the interior of a vehicle in which he/she was present, a firearm when his/her physical or mental condition was impaired by intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance into the person’s body in circumstances other than described in AS11.61.200(a)(7))
• Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree (with intent to damage property of another, he damaged property of another in an amount of $750 or more)
• Driving Under the Influence

Charges may be upgraded after review by the District Attorney. A search warrant was later executed on AUSTIN’s vehicle, which had been taken to FPD, and officers recovered a Glock 21 .45 caliber handgun and a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Officer Hancock at shancock@fairbanks.us or 907-450-6500.
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