Glenn Demientieff, 09-13-06

Man killed in hunting brawl with brothers

The Associated Press

Published: September 16, 2006

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A man died beside the Tatlawiksuk River of a gunshot to the abdomen after getting into a drunken fight with his brothers on a moose-hunting expedition, Alaska State Troopers said Friday.

Glenn Demientieff, 32, was camping with his two brothers and a family friend on Wednesday in western Alaska.

Troopers said Demientieff and his brothers, Dennis, 31, and Michael, 22, all of Kasigluk, were drinking and fighting when Glenn was shot.

Charges have not been filed, although officials have a suspect, said Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson.

Zacharias Nicholas, who grew up with the three brothers and accompanied them on the trip, told the Anchorage Daily News he recalls grabbing a gun away from the youngest brother, Michael, directly after the shooting.

Michael Demientieff was booked into Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center on charges unrelated to this week's shooting episode, Wilkinson said.

Nicholas said he was the only sober person at the campsite the night of the shooting and tried to break up the fight.

"It all happened so fast. They were all drinking," Nicholas said. "They kind of started early, I think."

Nicholas said Glenn started beating up his younger brothers.

"Glenn started fighting Dennis ... slapping him with an open fist for no reason," he said.

Michael was passed out in a tent, Nicholas said, and Glenn dragged him out and kicked him in the head.

"Then he concentrated on Dennis, wrestling or slapping him around," Nicholas said. "Glenn pulled Michael out of the tent again and kicked him on the head again. ... Next thing I heard was a gunshot. I ran to Michael and grabbed the gun away from Michael. And Glenn was on the ground."

Nicholas said that he helped the brothers load Glenn into their boat to take him to the nearby village of Stony River.

"I was too late," Nicholas said. "He quit breathing."

The men hauled the body to Sleetmute on Thursday and notified troopers about what happened. Troopers met the group in Aniak, a hub village in the region, later that night.

Reached at his home in Kasigluk, Dennis Demientieff said he looked up to his older brother.

"He was just a leader. A leader of our brothers," he said.

He referred questions about the shooting to Nicholas.

"I just finally got home today, and I don't feel like talking about it," he said.