oh stephen!

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new update on the camp liberty shootings

it was a sergeant on this third tour in iraq. no names on the five dead. we know two were officers and/or doctors. one from the army, one the navy. the other three were enlisted personnel.

from what i've read, his weapon(s) were taken away. he was being escorted away from the facility, he overtook his escort and grabbed a weapon then went back and killed the five.

it's not in the linked article below, but i believe the sgt was married. so, in addition to the familes and friends of the five killed, please let's keep the sgt's family in our thoughts and prayers.



Sgt. charged with 5 deaths in Liberty shooting
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer

A sergeant from the Bamberg, Germany-based 370th Engineer Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, has been charged with shooting and killing four soldiers and a naval officer Monday at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Sgt. John M. Russell, 44, first joined the Army National Guard in 1988; he went into the active Army in 1994. He is charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.

Russell, who was on his third Iraq deployment, remains in custody in Iraq.

U.S. officials in Iraq also revealed that two of the five service members killed were officers and doctors, one from the Army and the other from the Navy. Both were assigned to the 55th Medical Company at the Liberty Combat Stress Control Center.

The other victims were enlisted soldiers.

Special agents from Army Criminal Investigation Command continue to investigate the shootings.

The Army also has initiated an AR 15-6 investigation to determine if there are adequate mental health facilities in Iraq, said Lt. Col. David Patterson, a spokesman for Multi-National Corps-Iraq.

The suspect was referred to counseling the week before the shootings and his commander determined that it was best for him not to have a weapon, said Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a spokesman for Multi-National Force-Iraq.......

my posting from yesterday is here

update from tuesday morning: is here

so far we don't know very much

update from tuesday morning: is here

we know a us soldier killed five and wounded more at camp liberty in iraq. we know he was apprehended. we know it happened at a 'stress' clinic. not much else

i am very sorry for these losses. my heart goes out to all of these men and women and their families.

Official: U.S. soldier kills 5 at Camp Liberty

BAGHDAD — A U.S. soldier opened fire at a counseling center on a U.S. base Monday, killing five fellow soldiers before being taken into custody, the U.S. command and Pentagon officials said.

The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a sprawling U.S. base on the western edge of Baghdad near the city’s international airport and adjacent to another facility where President Barack Obama visited last month.

A brief U.S. statement said the soldier “suspected of being involved with the shooting” was in custody but gave no further details. Nobody else was hurt, the military said. It was unclear what provoked the shooting.

In Washington, Pentagon officials said the shooting happened at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or personal issues. It was unclear whether those killed were workers at the clinic or were there for counseling. No details were released about the gunman.

“Anytime we lose one of our own, it affects us all,” U.S. spokesman Col. John Robinson said. “Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the service members involved in this terrible tragedy.”.......