A family member of a 32-year-old Wasilla man with medical issues contacted AST to report that he was making suicidal statements on Thursday afternoon.

That member also informed troopers that the man had swam to an island on the Little Susitna River near Pittman Road after threatening to “commit suicide by cop.”

Troopers, Wildlife Troopers as well as EMS responded to the area and located the man, but as soon as they did, he fled further into the woods and authorities lost contact with him. More troopers arrived at the scene and soon re-located the subject. But, as soon as they did so, the man would flee again.

An sUAS equipped with a thermal infrared camera was brought in at 4:45 am, and utilizing it, troopers were able to quickly locate the subject again. The equipment found the distressed man, in his underwear moving through the woods and swimming back and forth across the weather.

State and Wildlife Troopers deployed to either side of the river and with the aid of the sUAS kept tabs on him while he traveled approximately a mile and a half upriver. At one point the subject picked up a 3-foot stick, assumed a crouching stance and pointed it at the troopers. But, the sUAS operator was quickly able to identify it as a stick and informed troopers as much.

As the man began to tire, troopers were able to edge closer and closer and soon were able to verbally contact him. Troopers negotiated with the man for several minutes which resulted in the man crossing the river one last time and giving himself up.

The man, who troopers declined to identify, was transported to the Mat-Su RRegional Hospital at 6:44 pm for evaluation and treatment.

  little susitna river, rescue, search, troopers