Current Events > Man spreads harmful chemicals in a known Homeless area

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Anchorage police said Friday that they've opened an investigation after a longtime critic of city homelessness policy claimed responsibility for spreading potentially hazardous chemicals in one of the city's most popular gathering places for homeless people.

The discovery of the chemical a type of pool cleaner, calcium hypochlorite prompted a major response that involved at least three city agencies. Officials said that the incident generated fear and unneeded stress among the already-vulnerable people who frequent the area, as well as for workers at the nearby soup kitchen and homeless shelter that support them.

Alleva said he got permission from a city employee, whom he wouldn't name, to spread the chemicals as a disinfectant

A spokeswoman for the city health department, Shannon Kuhn, said her agency had not given Alleva permission to spread the chemicals, and neither had officials at the fire department, the police department or the mayor's office, she added.