Accused shooter made bizarre remarks after arrest, police say
SOTERIA HOUSE: The victim is also a former resident.
By ROSEMARY SHINOHARA
rshinohara@adn.com /
rshinohara@adn.com
Published: July 1st, 2011 10:10 PM
Last Modified: July 1st, 2011 10:11 PM
The man accused of shooting and critically wounding a woman at a home that serves people with psychiatric problems is a former resident of the home, say charging documents.
The victim, Mozelle Nalan, 19, is also a former resident, say the documents.
Michael McEvoy, 21, is accused of shooting Nalan multiple times in the head and neck shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday evening. Nalan underwent surgery at a local hospital and was in critical condition Friday.
McEvoy was charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of third-degree assault.
Nalan and McEvoy had lived at the Soteria House assisted living home at the same time in the past, the charging documents say. The facility is at 3201 Doris St. in Spenard.
Soteria House is a nonprofit that offers residential care for people with serious mental illnesses, with emphasis on giving the residents choices about treatment, including whether to take medications, said Dr. Aron Wolf, a consulting psychiatrist with Soteria House.
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Nalan moved from Soteria House three or four weeks ago after about an 11-month stay, and was a volunteer-in-training there, said Wolf. McEvoy moved out about four months ago after living at Soteria House for four months, Wolf said. McEvoy returned to visit, as the program encourages, Wolf said.
The charging documents say McEvoy had no known criminal convictions in Alaska.
The charging documents do not reveal a motive in the shooting but offer more details about what police believe happened Thursday night.
A Soteria House employee, Jeffrey Parks, was making dinner in the kitchen when he heard two gunshots, Parks told police. He looked behind the house and saw Nalan lying on the deck and McEvoy standing over her. Parks said he then saw McEvoy shoot Nalan in the head.
When officers arrived they found Nalan bloody and gasping for air on the back deck. McEvoy was in the yard but followed police orders and was arrested, the charges say.
A .45-caliber handgun and a 9 mm handgun were on the back porch. McEvoy had bullets in his front shirt pocket and blood on his boots, the charges say.
Police said McEvoy made several comments on the ride to the police station, such as asking, "Did I do something good for the community?" and "She is in heaven?"
"I've done what I had to do," McEvoy told officers, according to the charges. "My mission is over."
Parks, the employee, told police he was not aware of any problems or arguments Thursday between the shooter and the victim.
Wolf said the two were not in any kind of relationship.
Both Nalan and McEvoy were graduates of the Soteria House program, meaning they had reached a level at which they could cook for themselves, get around on buses and otherwise take care of themselves, said Soteria House executive director Susan Musante.
McEvoy had not had any record of violence while at the home, said Wolf.
Martin Palmer, who said he is McEvoy's landlord in a Spenard apartment building, said he called police about a month ago regarding McEvoy's behavior with guns. He said McEvoy had an M1 carbine rifle, and was "marching around the apartment building like a soldier," scaring the tenants.
Police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said police have no record of receiving prior information about McEvoy.
Reach Rosemary Shinohara at
rshinohara@adn.com or 257-4340.
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Accused shooter made bizarre remarks after arrest, police say: Crime | Alaska news at adn.com
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