February 22, 2023
(Anchorage, AK) – Today, 25-year-old Eric Lee was sentenced by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Catherine Easter to serve seven years in prison for the attempted murder of Austin Cottrell. Lee pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted murder on Sept. 14, 2022.
On Jan. 11, 2018, Eric Lee was in the self-checkout line at Fred Meyer on Muldoon Road with his girlfriend. Surveillance video showed Cottrell and two other individuals walking in Fred Meyer and into the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union branch located within the store. Video evidence also showed Lee take a firearm out of his girlfriend’s purse, walk over to the store entrance and fire a single shot at Cottrell. Nobody was physically injured, as a result of the shooting.
At sentencing, Judge Easter called Lee’s conduct “senseless” and noted Lee’s casual demeanor at the time of the shooting. The judge recognized that a primary sentencing factor is community condemnation, that society does not tolerate this type of behavior, and specifically that the Anchorage community has strong condemnation of this type of behavior. Judge Easter also determined that Lee has good prospects for rehabilitation.
Judge Easter imposed a sentence of 20 years with 13 years suspended, to be followed by five years of supervised probation. Lee is in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections.
CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Patrick J. McKay, Jr., at (907) 269-6300 or patrick.mckay@alaska.gov.
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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6379.
