By Shawn McGrath and Justin Schneider, Herald Bulletin staff reporters
ANDERSON — An Anderson High School graduate and U.S. Army sergeant died early Sunday morning after a shooting outside a bar in Alaska.
Sgt. Evan L. Minnear, 24, was shot shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday during an argument outside the Woodshed Lounge near the corner of Third Avenue and F Street in downtown Anchorage. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead about four hours later.
Minnear served as a military police officer with the 425 Military Police Company assigned to the Brigade Special Troops Battalion based at Fort Richardson in Anchorage. He had returned from a 15-month deployment to Iraq in February, Anchorage police spokeswoman Anita Shell said.
According to police, he was trying to maintain order when he was shot.
“The information that we have is that there was an individual who fired a shot outside the bar,” said Lt. Dave Parker of the Anchorage Police Department. “As we understand it from witnesses there, Mr. Minnear intervened. He told him he was with the military police and that’s when he was shot.”
“I don’t know if it was heroic,” Parker said, “but it’s what cops do every day.”
Shortly after the shooting, witnesses reported seeing a dark-colored Honda leaving the area.
“A dark Honda was said to be leaving the area with suspect in it,” Parker said. “And the police located that Honda and stopped it and removed three individuals from the Honda.”
Parker said three people were taken in for questioning, leading to one arrest. Vongdeuane Vongthongdy, 26, of Anchorage, has been charged with second-degree murder and two counts of misconduct involving weapons.
Bail was set at $250,000 cash. Vongthongdy is being held in the Anchorage Jail and was arraigned at the Anchorage jail on Monday. It marked the city’s 10th homicide of the year.
Parker said a grand jury will be convened within 10 days to formally charge Vongthongdy.
“It’s a backup to make sure it’s not overzealous prosecution,” Parker said of the proceeding.
According to court documents, Vongthongdy eventually admitted to police during questioning that he was at the shooting scene “and recalled everything except shooting the man. Vongthongdy expressed remorse when he found out that Minnear was in the military. He blamed his conduct on being drunk.”
Vongthongdy is on probation for the felony assault of a domestic partner, according to court records. He acknowledged to investigators that he shouldn’t have been carrying a handgun, but said he armed himself for protection.
Vongthongdy had just been released from jail on Nov. 14, after having his probation revoked because he failed to report to his probation officer and admitted to using marijuana and methamphetamine, court records show.
Witnesses reported hearing loud voices and arguing before the gunshots.
“(Minnear) went down and then he tried to stand back up and then he fell down again and you could literally see where that he got shot in the abdomen area,” witness Katie Leas told the Anchorage CBS affiliate.
Minnear was the son of Julie Rushton of Indianapolis and Timothy Minnear of Clarksville, Tenn. He graduated from Anderson High School in 2002, underwent basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and reported for active duty with the U.S. Army in February 2003.
“Evan loved the military and everything it represented,” said Minnear’s brother, 23-year-old James Minnear of Anderson. “He really wanted to serve his country and his mom and I respected that and stood behind him every way we could.”
In an issue of “Company Connection” — a newsletter for soldiers and families of the 289th Military Police Company — dated January 2005, Minnear was noted as completing his Expert Infantry Badge training. To earn the mark, Minnear completed a 12-mile road march, qualified as expert with the M-4 rifle, completed a day and night land navigation course and completed the 23-station infantry task course.
“From what we understand, Evan was using his police background trying to break up an altercation among people he didn’t even know,” James Minnear said. “He was trying to calm the situation when he was shot.”
