Anchorage police report that they were called to the scene on Monday where an adult male “was yelling and appeared to be suffering from a mental health episode,” according to the caller. The caller also informed APD that she was frightened by the suspect’s behavior.

After responding to the scene, officers elected to take the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Anthony C. Tinker III, into custody and transport him to a mental health facility for treatment at 5:59 pm.

But, soon after the facility released Tinker and provided him with a taxi voucher to take him to the Sullivan Area. Tinker took the cab to the arena and shortly after, stole the cab and soon crashed it at 6th Avenue and Fairbanks Street before fleeing on foot. Police arrived at that scene at 9:22 pm.

30 minutes later, APD was alerted by a caller reporting that their white 2011 Mercedes had been stolen on 6th Avenue by a man armed with a  handgun. That stolen Mercedes would soon be located at 10:30 pm crashed and abandoned on the 5000-block of Van Bren Street.

Just prior to the discovery of the newly crashed Mercedes, APD was alerted by a man standing outside of his apartment on the 2400-block of Bentzen Circle that an injured man had walked into his apartment and ordered everyone out before locking himself in.

SWAT responded to the scene and determined that the suspect in the apartment was Tinker who had already been identified as the suspect who stole the Mercedes earlier.

SWAT deployed gas and Tinker emerged from the apartment with a handgun. Ignoring SWAT commands Tinker continued up the exterior steps to the apartments there. K9 Rylin was deployed and made contact with Tinker’s arm. The suspect attempted to fight off the K9 and continued up the stairs. 

A second K9 was deployed and K9 Midas latched on to Tinker’s other arm making it possible for Tinker to be taken into custody by SWAT members.

“Tinker was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the car wrecks, from the dog bites, and gas exposure,” APD reported.

He has been charged with Burglary I, three counts of Assault III, Theft II, Criminal Mischief III, Resisting, two counts of Vehicle Theft I, and Robbery I. Investigators are working to determine how Tinker came to possess a handgun.

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