A 25-year-old Black male named Ethan Buncom lay lifeless in a narrow alley behind a Circle K convenience store in Northeast Anchorage on the morning of August 17, 2024. At approximately 3:13 AM, Anchorage Police officers responded to reports of gunfire in the vicinity of North Bliss Street and Mountain View Drive. In that quiet, dimly lit space, the young man was found with a gunshot wound to his upper body.
He was quickly transported to a hospital by medics, but despite every effort, he did not survive. His death was swiftly ruled a homicide.
The victim's identity, that of the 25-year-old Black male, was released only after authorities confirmed that next-of-kin had been notified via established procedures. Initial law enforcement response involved securing the area and deploying both drone surveillance and a K9 unit to search for the shooter. No suspect was immediately apprehended, and no motive or suspect description was shared at the time. Investigators emphasized that, based on evidence gathered early on, the shooting appeared to be an isolated, not random, act.
As days passed, detectives worked to piece together what happened. Public safety officials reviewed security camera footage from the Circle K and interviewed witnesses. One witness, who had been with the 25-year-old Black male in a Ford Expedition parked behind the gas station, recounted that another man—initially known only by the moniker “G”—approached wearing a ski mask and carrying a long, silver firearm. The victim was accused of stealing $20,000 from a friend. According to the witness, the masked man demanded to be given a ride to Fairview. Tensions rose inside the parked vehicle. Several minutes later, the masked man opened fire and fled the scene, shooting the victim.
Investigators later identified the suspect as 31-year-old Julio Morales Jr., described in court documents as homeless and living in a camp. A few days after the shooting, Morales was located during a traffic stop. When officers attempted to take him into custody, he initially resisted exiting his vehicle, prompting the use of tear gas and pepper spray. Ultimately, he was arrested and taken into custody. During questioning, Morales admitted to confronting the 25-year-old Black male outside the gas station and to shooting him after being told about the alleged theft of the large sum. He told investigators that the victim brandished a long knife within the vehicle, prompting Morales to fire because he feared for his own safety and thought the victim might later threaten his camp.
On September 19, 2024, formal charges were filed. Morales was remanded at the Anchorage Correctional Complex and indicted on one count of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, and a third count of misconduct involving a weapon in the third degree for being a felon in possession. His bail was set at $750,000.
Thus unfolds the tragic story of this 25-year-old Black male from Anchorage. From the pre-dawn gunfire in a tucked-away alley to the gathering of eyewitnesses, the unraveling of conflicting motives, and the swift pursuit of justice, the case paints a haunting portrait of violence and its ripple effects.
