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Sarah Palin drunken family brawl: Police in Alaska release report on fight involving former governor's son, daughter and husband

Police were called to a home in Anchorage owned by Korey Klingenmeyer, after they received a report of a brawl between around 20 people

Jenn Selby
Friday 10 October 2014 13:11 BST
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Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, left, with her daughter, Bristol
Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, left, with her daughter, Bristol (Reuters)

Police have released a detailed report describing the drunken family brawl that involved the son, daughter and husband of Sarah Palin, the controversial former Governor of Alaska.

According to the document, Palin’s husband Todd and her two children, Track and Bristol, were involved in a physical fight at a birthday party on 6 September.

Police were called to a home in Anchorage owned by Korey Klingenmeyer, after they received a report of a brawl between around 20 people.

Witness statements remain vague about the cause of the argument, but indicate the arrival of the Palin family at around 23.00 in a limousine.

Palin’s husband Todd and son Track, 26, ended up in an altercation with a group of men on the street outside the residence.

Meanwhile Bristol Palin, 23, fought with the host of the party.

Track Palin, who was described as bloodied, "belligerent" and "heavily intoxicated" in the report, said that the fight had been sparked after the group of men spoke rudely to his sister. One of the group, he claimed, had also "sucker punched" a friend.

After offering to fight the men, they had attacked him, Track alleged, telling police that "everything escalated and it was a situation they couldn't walk away from".

Sarah Palin was at the scene but was not involved in the brawl herself, according to the report.

Home owner Klingenmeyer, meanwhile, told police he was furious that the Palins had arrived at the party and "were causing the problems". Police described his appearance at the time as "moderately intoxicated".

He said that when he heard the men were fighting outside the house, he told guests not to get involved.

It was then, Klingenmeyer claims, Bristol Palin entered his home angry and looking for a fight.

He alleged he told the Governor’s daughter he would not stand for violence, and she continued to hurl expletives in his general direction.

It was then he claims to have invited her to punch him in the face “if it makes her feel better”.

So she did. Five or six times, he claims.

"She was hitting pretty hard."

Bristol Palin claimed in her version of events that she had initially sought to confront the individual who had pushed her sister Willow, when she was pushed to the ground by Klingenmeyer.

Matthew McKenna, a witness at the party, said that he had instructed Todd Palin to round up his family and leave the house after a fight started on a nearby intersection.

"He said the problem was that Bristol and Willow were drunk, as were their boyfriends," the police wrote.

"McKenna apologised for wasting our time."

Prosecutors have since declined to press charges on the Palins.

Republican Sarah Palin ran for vice-President in 2008.

In 2009, she stepped down from her role as Governor of Alaska, and has since embarked on a career on television and in socio-political commentary.

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