Sibling sacrifice following shots

WASILLA — Police have arrested a second man in the Tuesday morning shooting at Tailgaters Sports Bar and Grill and say most of the charges against the first man will likely be dropped.

Duane R. Aylsworth, 33, of Wasilla, was arrested Wednesday. On Thursday, a Palmer Grand Jury charged him with 10 counts including attempted murder, assault, criminal mischief and weapons misconduct. His brother, Donald Lee, 22, of Wasilla, was arrested the night of the shooting.

No one was hurt in the incident that happened shortly before 1 a.m. and began with an argument inside the bar with a group of Army National Guardsmen. Aylsworth and his brother left. Outside the bar, shots were fired at the guardsmen, who took cover behind a van.

Afterward, police chased down a car, which led them on a chase through Wasilla before stopping on Fairview Loop. The driver was later identified Lee.

“When we stopped, him he come out of the car and immediately said he was responsible for the shooting and his brother had nothing to do with it,” Wasilla’s Deputy Police Chief Greg Wood said.

Interviews with witnesses and victims, though, contradicted Lee’s story, Wood said. By Wednesday, police were pretty sure they were going to charge Aylsworth.

They spoke to him that afternoon but Aylsworth stuck to his story, blamingthe shooting on his brother, Wood said.

At Lee’s bail hearing Wednesday afternoon, magistrate David Zwink started the hearing by saying, “I understand that we’re making life very interesting today.”

Lee and his attorney decided to wait to see what police and prosecutors decided to do before trying to get his bail reduced from where it stood at $250,000. Zwink told them not to worry too much about the bail amount.

“Obviously the financial side is going to change drastically,” Zwink said.

Investigator Scott Fitchett with WPD said the whole thing started with a woman Aylsworth was hitting on.

“Rude comments were made,” Fitchett said, “and basically one of the gal’s friends, male friends, came up and said, ‘You know, you need to treat the lady with some respect.’”

Fitchett said Aylsworth didn’t care for that and an argument ensued. Eventually Lee came up to Aylsworth and convinced him it was time to leave.

“That’s what split them apart,” Fitchett said. “No punching, shoving or spitting or pinching or anything like that.”

The shooting happened shortly thereafter as the group Aylsworth was arguing with left the bar. During the shooting, windows were broken out of the local taxi service van the guardsmen used for cover. A bullet also ricocheted off a neighboring BMW, cracking its windshield.

The day he was arrested, Lee was charged with the same counts his brother now faces and an additional count of eluding arrest.

When officers spotted him on Parks Highway he initially didn’t stop and was chased to Fairview Loop, Fitchett said.

A hindering prosecution charge was tacked on to Lee’s case later. Wood said that charge was brought since Lee tried to take responsibility for something he didn’t do, thus shielding his brother.

With Aylsworth now fingered as the shooter, most of Lee’s charges were dropped, with the exception of eluding and hindering.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.