FAIRBANKS, AK – Authorities in Fairbanks have arrested a 29-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his grandmother as she sat in her wheelchair, a case that has left the community shaken and searching for answers.

Police say Brian Davenport was taken into custody Tuesday after admitting to killing his 87-year-old grandmother, Velma Koontz, inside her home on the 1000 block of 22nd Avenue. Davenport faces a charge of first-degree murder with intent, according to court documents.

Officers were dispatched to the residence around 3:45 p.m. following a report of a deceased woman. Responding to a 911 call from Koontz’s husband, authorities discovered Koontz inside the home with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Investigators believe the weapon used belonged to Koontz’s husband and was taken without his knowledge.

According to police interviews, Davenport confessed to stealing the handgun and killing his grandmother after initially considering targeting someone else. During questioning, he allegedly described the act as similar to “pulling the plug,” acknowledging that taking a life is wrong but saying his intentions were related to ending suffering.

Records indicate Koontz had been battling cancer and was under hospice care at the time of her death.

Shortly before Koontz was found dead, authorities received a 911 call from Davenport himself, who provided an address but did not elaborate or answer further questions. Police later encountered Davenport behaving erratically on a nearby roadside. Due to his unpredictable actions, an officer took him to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital to ensure his safety.

While Davenport was at the hospital, investigators connected him to Koontz’s death and questioned him about the incident. Davenport reportedly admitted to the shooting, claiming he wanted his grandmother to die peacefully and not worry about the legacy she would leave behind.

Davenport was subsequently booked into Fairbanks Correctional Center and is being held on $5 million bail. He appeared in court for his arraignment Wednesday, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 30.

The case has highlighted issues involving elder care, mental health, and family violence in the region. Koontz’s death remains under active investigation as authorities work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Davenport is being represented by the Public Defender Agency, though the office has not released a statement regarding his defense.