Afghan Killing Probe to Look at Suspect’s Mental Health, Aggravating Factors
His name is not yet known, nor a motive for the grisly crime he allegedly committed.
But what is clear is that the U.S. soldier, a staff sergeant in his 30s, faces grave accusations unlike others faced by Americans in Afghanistan so far. He is alleged to have killed 16 villagers, nine of them children, in the sanctuary of their homes deep into the night.
The dearth of information from the U.S. military heightens speculation by the day about the accused soldier and his mental condition. What soldier could commit such a heinous act?
Authorities and mental health experts caution against drawing conclusions, but what’s known is that the soldier was on his fourth combat tour. He served in Iraq three times and potentially was at risk for combat stress symptoms — anxiety, depression, anger. He also suffered a brain injury in a vehicle rollover, though the extent of it is unclear.
“We’re going to look into all of that,” Gen. John Allen, who commands U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, told CNN, declining to say more.
The full details will likely surface after the military investigates and begins legal proceedings.
Michael Waddington, a civilian lawyer who has represented U.S. soldiers in military murder trials, said Sunday’s shootings in the villages in Kandahar province represented the worst of chilling incidents involving U.S. troops.