Selawik residents held at gunpoint

February 17th 3:00 pm | Hannah Heimbuch

The threat of gun violence disturbed the village of Selawik for the second time in as many weeks on Saturday when a resident allegedly threatened two others with an assault rifle. The event occurred just two days before Alaska's newest State Trooper post opened its doors in Selawik.

Johnny Mitchell Jr., 31, is charged with four counts of third degree assault, one count of fourth degree assault, two counts of reckless endangerment and fourth degree misconduct with a weapon.

According to a report filed by the Alaska State Troopers, Mitchell retrieved an AR-15 after getting into a fight with two other Selawik residents. The report states that after the fight broke up he threatened them with the gun and fired a round into the ground. He fled the area after the shot.

Selawik VPOs located and arrested Mitchell, who was reportedly intoxicated at the time. Officers found the casing from the fired shell, but not the rifle itself.

The AR-15 is a magazine-fed, semi-automatic weapon.

Selawik is a dry community.

Mitchell has an arrest record going back to the '90s, which includes multiple assault and theft charges.

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