An Ambler man faces a felony charge after troopers say he walked through the village firing a rifle on Sept. 17. The incident triggered a lockdown and canceled school.
20-year-old Samuel Jones Jr. is charged with one felony for terroristic threatening and a misdemeanor charge for violating conditions of release.
In court documents, troopers said they received a report around midnight of gunshots. The Ambler resident who reported the gunfire said she heard about 15 more shots while on the phone with troopers. Another witness told troopers he saw Jones walking around firing a rifle.
A separate Ambler resident told troopers that before the shooting started, Jones threatened to hurt people on VHF radio, sounded intoxicated and argued with his girlfriend.
The trooper said reports of Jones walking through town with a gun continued for four and a half hours. The Northwest Arctic Borough School District told troopers that Ambler was placed on lockdown and school was canceled the next day.
No injuries were reported.
Troopers tried to fly to Ambler that morning but turned back to Kotzebue because of bad weather. A judge issued a warrant for Jones’ arrest on Sept. 21.
Court records show his first court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Kotzebue Courthouse.
