Blackwater involved in more shootings

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. State Department records show that employees of Blackwater USA are involved in two times as many shootings as those of other security firms in Iraq.

Officials in the department would not release exact numbers, The New York Times reported Thursday. But they said internal reports show that shootings are far more common when Blackwater is guarding State Department officials than with the other U.S. firms, DynCorp International and Triple Canopy.

Both the Iraqi and U.S. governments are investigating a Sept. 16 shootout that killed 11 Iraqis. Blackwater guards began firing after perceiving a threat to a State Department convoy.

“The incident rate for Blackwater is higher, there is a distinction,” a senior U.S. official who wanted to remain anonymous told the Times. “The real question that is open for discussion is why.”

The official said Blackwater employees might shoot more often because the company tends to get the most difficult assignments in the most dangerous areas.