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Former Bethel Mayor arrested, charged with domestic assault, criminal mischief

Katie Basile
/
KYUK

The Bethel Police Department responded to a call on Monday night involving former Mayor and former Alaska State Trooper Perry Leroy Barr.

According to the court documents and a police affidavit, at around 11:30 pm, on Monday, Barr’s partner dialed 911 saying Barr was “suicidal and holding a gun to her” at their home in the Tundra Ridge Subdivision. Dispatch also reported that they could clearly hear Barr yelling “suicide by cop” in the background, according to court documents.

Dispatch also said the couple was physically fighting over the gun prior to BPD arrival, according to court documents. Officers arrived and arrested Barr.

Barr’s partner said he returned home drunk and the couple started arguing, then things escalated, according to court documents.

BPD reported that they confiscated a shotgun from the home and Barr was taken to the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center, charged with assault and criminal mischief for placing his partner in fear of imminent physical injury by holding a gun to her.

Barr was arraigned on Tuesday, and he pled not guilty. He said he would hire his own lawyer and denied a court-appointed attorney.

Barr’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 30th at 3:00 pm.

Francisco Martínezcuello is the KYUK News Reporting Fellow and a graduate of UC Berkeley School of Journalism. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.