Alaska State Troopers are investigating allegations of assault between two miners featured in a Discovery Channel project. It’s not clear if the fight was real or made for TV.

Gregory Remsburg, 42, and Ryan Dorsey, 33, each showed up at the troopers’ office early Tuesday morning. Also on hand was a film crew, waiting for the office to open at 7:45 a.m.

“There was a camera man holding a camera, a sound guy holding a big, fluffy microphone and a director-producer guy coordinating it all,” said state trooper Josh Bentz.

When Bentz refused the camera crew entrance to the trooper office in the Gateway Building on Main Street, the crew climbed on top of a truck to try to shoot through the office window.

After Bentz declined a request by the crew to come out of the office and be filmed escorting one of the complainants inside, two crewmen stationed themselves at Third Avenue and Main Street, their camera trained on the building entrance.

Bentz said he believes a fight occurred between Remsburg and Dorsey, as Dorsey showed him his bruised midsection. “It seemed genuine. Their emotions seemed genuine… I believe there was an altercation. Whether or not it’s an assault or mutual combat is yet to be determined,” Bentz said.

Based on his interviews with Remsburg and Dorsey, Bentz said there’s been tension between the two for several months. “Some of it has to do with the show and some of it has to do with just living up there in close quarters.”

Bentz said he planned to interview four witnesses to the fight: James Harness, Chris Doumitt and Jim and Nathan Thurber.

Dorsey told Bentz he was quitting the show, and staying in town. “They’re figuring out if he’s going to be back on the show,” Bentz said.

Matthew Testa, a Discovery Channel representative, later told Bentz that if he came to the Porcupine mine site to interview witnesses, he may be filmed.

The alleged fight occurred Saturday morning at a fire pit in the Porcupine.

The film crew also was denied access to the borough public safety building, which houses the police department, and the medical clinic. Bentz said the fight appeared to be mutual, but that he would forward the results of his investigation to the district attorney to determine whether to seek prosecution.

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