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.”