Assistant DA is shot and killed; alleged gunman was motivated by jealousy, police say
Updated: An assistant district attorney in Barrow, Alaska, was shot and killed at his girlfriend’s home on Monday.
A suspect who formerly dated the woman is being held in the shooting death of the prosecutor, Brian Sullivan, 48. Sullivan is a former Washington state lawmaker and a former JAG lawyer. He joined the District Attorney’s office in the spring of 2012. Among the publications with coverage are the Alaska News Miner, the Arctic Sounder, KTVA, KTUU, the New York Daily News and the Alaska Dispatch News.
The suspect being held is Ronald “Bun Bun” Fischer, 47, according to the Alaska Dispatch News, KTUU and KTVA.
Court documents allege that Fischer shot Sullivan twice in the face with a shotgun because he had recently begun dating Fischer’s former girlfriend, KTUU reports in a later story. The former girlfriend said she was in a back bedroom and Sullivan was in the living room when she heard a door close, heard Fisher voice ask, “Who are you?” and then heard a gunshot. She told police she hid in the closet until Fischer found her. According to police, Fischer then told her: “Look at what you made me do.”
The girlfriend told police she got Fischer to go outside, jumped into Sullivan’s car and drove to the police station. Fischer also called 911 and eventually agreed to surrender. He had previously been arrested for alleged assaults on the girlfriend and her sister.
Fischer was arrested in September for allegedly punching his girlfriend. He was charged in that incident with making a threat of death or injury, assault, and kidnapping for allegedly using his daughter as a shield to prevent an officer from shocking him with a Taser, the stories say. He was also charged with violating the conditions of release.
Barrow lawyer Robert Campbell had represented Fischer on the felony charges filed in September, according to the Alaska Dispatch News. He also knew Sullivan well. He told the publication that Sullivan lived with him for several months after he first moved to Barrow. Campbell said Sullivan was intelligent, thoughtful and empathetic.
Campbell told the Dispatch News he has seen many prosecutors come and go in Barrow, but Sullivan was different. “He’s the only one who has stuck around,” Campbell said.
KTUU interviewed Sullivan’s ex-wife, Julie Sullivan, who was married to Brian Sullivan for 21 years. She said she was still friends with Sullivan, who often returned to Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough to visit two of his daughters living at home. A third daughter is in college.
Updated at 3:15 p.m. to include KTUU information from court documents and to state that the slaying occurred at the girlfriend’s home.
