Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna on Wednesday after a borough employee called 911 to report that another employee was carrying a concealed handgun in the building.
Alaska State Troopers arrested 35-year-old Lucas Thein at the borough building on three fourth-degree domestic assault charges that were unrelated to him carrying a gun inside the building. Per a Dec. 20 affidavit by Trooper J. Couturier, the agency received a report on Dec. 16 of multiple incidents of domestic assault by Thein against both the person who reported the incidents and their toddler-aged child.
Troopers were among the three agencies that responded to Wednesday’s 911 call, along with the Soldotna Police Department and Alaska Wildlife Troopers. Soldotna Police Chief Gene Meek on Friday issued a press release about the incident in response to what he said were “multiple inquiries” about what had happened.
The multi-agency response, Meek said, was in response to “concern over recent activity involving Lucas’ behavior.” Meek and an Alaska Wildlife Trooper were the first to respond to the building and detained Thein without incident. Meek said further that an armed subject who has exhibited unusual behavior and has a gun “fits the profile for a potential active shooter.”
Thein was not found to have violated Alaska state law by bringing a gun into the building, however, responding troopers identified Thein as the subject in a separate, active investigation and arrested him in that case.
“It was not until they (AST) showed up that they discovered the person, Lucas Thein, was the involved person of their active investigation,” Meek said.
Thein’s LinkedIn profile says that he has been employed with the Kenai Peninsula Borough as a Helpdesk Technician since July. Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche on Friday referred questions about the incident to law enforcement and said he could not comment on the status of Thein’s employment.
Thein was arraigned Thursday and posted bail Friday. His next court appearance is Jan. 25 in Kenai. The Alaska Department of Public Safety could not be reached for comment Friday.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
CORRECTION: A previous version of the story incorrectly spelled the name of Trooper J. Couturier.
