Around 11:30 Monday morning, police sent out a Nixle alert stating that an active crime was in progress and urged 4th Avenue residents to “shelter in place.” Eyewitnesses reported a fight breaking out between two men, then hearing gunshots.

“I was just sitting in my chair and I heard two people yelling at each other. So I went to my kitchen window and opened it, opened it up, and heard some more yelling. And it sounded like he was asking if he gave them drugs. And next thing you know, I heard — sure sounded like a gunshot. These drug dealers need to be stopped. Our little towns are too small for this,” said neighbor Henry Stevens.

“It was like watching an episode of cops,” eyewitness Evelyn Grogan said. “I heard two shots … They were very close to each other when he fired the shots. The man jumped in the green truck, the one who was shot at. As he tore out, tires spinning, rocks flying and hit the man with the green truck hard — and ran over him, leaving at great speed.” 

Police and first responders were on the scene shortly after, closing off the roads in and out of 4th Avenue. About an hour later, police were on Main Street where they placed a woman in handcuffs. Haines Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD) first responders loaded a man into an ambulance. Haines Borough Police Department declined to comment.

At 7 a.m. Saturday, the HVFD responded to a fire at the Fort Seward Parade Grounds where the Old Field Kitchen was in flames. Matt Jones, who lives across the street, described what he saw that morning.

“I noticed a glow in the window and I thought, “Uh-oh, it must have been somebody in the fort having a heart attack. And so I looked out the window and saw that the Field Kitchen was fully engulfed, and that was probably by About 7:18, and a large fire,” Jones said.

The restaurant, which operates one to two days a week on a seasonal basis, was open the night before during a First Friday event. Fire Chief Brian Clay says firefighters fought for about four hours but the building was a complete loss.

“There was a fire at the Old Field Kitchen in the old fort, we put the fire out. And we’re still investigating,” Chief Clay said.

In a prepared statement, Old Field Kitchen owner Sarah Bishop said, “Thank you to all who have reached out. My family and I are processing this sudden and massive loss. I want to deeply thank the volunteer fire department for doing all that they could. To all who have supported the Old Field Kitchen over the last seven years, and especially to my phenomenal crew, thank you so much! I am so grateful.”

This is the second major fire in Haines in two months. A building that housed three local businesses including the Quick Shop and four apartments was destroyed by a fire in early October.  The cause of the fire is still unknown. Investigators from Juneau will investigate the cause of the latest fire as soon as they can fly out of Juneau, Clay said.