Chief Eric Jewkes of the Fairbanks police said Tuesday that the man killed in an officer-involved shooting the day prior was well prepared and wearing body armor.

The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Matthew Colton Stover, prompted an exchange of gunfire between himself and four of five responding officers, Jewkes said. Stover exited a truck parked at a snow dump and ran toward them, firing an "AR-style" rifle, he said.

The police chief did not address Stover's alleged motive during a press conference recorded and shared on Facebook.

"We're all looking for answers," Jewkes said. "What was his intent? What was he after?"

The police department said Monday that it received two calls about a masked man carrying a long gun, first at a Denny's restaurant, and then, while police continued their search, he was spotted behind the Fairbanks Correctional Complex.

Prison staff noticed a truck parked at the snow dump, and an individual exiting and entering the truck carrying a rifle, Jewkes said. The person was "obviously acting very suspicious," he said.

Here's the current rundown of the shooting given by police: Five officers formulated a plan to deal with the situation, police said. Two approached Stover's truck in their vehicles, activating emergency lights and announcing themselves over loudspeakers but stopping a significant distance away, police continued. Stover exited his vehicle and ran toward the officers while firing a rifle; four officers shot back, police said.

Public information officer Yumi McCulloch said she could not offer specifics about the location of all the officers when they opened fire.

Jewkes said the officers and Stover fired several rounds.

Stover died at the scene, the subsequent cataloging of which was halted by "some hazards" officials declined to detail Monday night. An explosives team from Fort Wainwright was called in and spent several hours processing the scene.

Jewkes said that immediately after the shooting, Fairbanks police asked for assistance from Alaska State Troopers, who responded with an armored vehicle used to approach Stover and confirm his status.

The troopers noticed the truck had been altered to hide its make and a there was bag lying outside the vehicle. Responding officers smelled some sort of fuel, according to the police chief.

Due to the odd details and Stover's apparent level of preparation, the explosives team was called in.

But a search of Stover and the truck did not turn up explosives, Jewkes said.

Once the scene was deemed safe, detectives started investigating. They found Stover had been armed with a pistol in addition to the rifle. He was carrying loaded gun magazines and stored more in the truck, totaling 400 rounds, Jewkes said. Stover's body armor included a bullet-proof face mask, he said.

Court records show Stover did not have a criminal record.

"We had very low contact if any with Mr. Stover," the police chief said.

As is typical in officer-involved shootings, the four officers who shot at Stover have been placed on administrative leave for three days.