Man shot to death inside South Anchorage bar

A man was shot and killed early Sunday during an altercation inside a South Anchorage bar, charges said.

Multiple people called 911 around 1:45 a.m. Sunday and reported that several gunshots were fired inside the bar at Al’s Alaskan Inn at 7830 Old Seward Highway, according to a criminal complaint signed by Anchorage police officer Troy Clark.

Police found 30-year-old Kaupoe Magalei Jr. dead on the dance floor when they arrived, the charges said. He had been shot multiple times, Clark wrote.

Surveillance footage from inside the bar showed a man later identified as 36-year-old William Gary and Magalei both on the dance floor of the bar, the charges said. At some point the men got in “a brief altercation,” and Gary pulled a firearm from either his pocket or waistband and fired at Magalei before running out of the bar, Clark wrote.

A KIA Telluride was seen speeding from the area shortly after Gary walked out of view of surveillance cameras, the charges said. Officers connected Gary to the vehicle and police said he was taken into custody for questioning around 7:30 p.m.

The motive remains under investigation, but police said the shooting was not believed to be random.

Gary is facing charges of first- and second-degree murder. He is being held at the Anchorage Correctional Complex on $200,000 bail.