Advertisement

Names of military shooting victim released

BAGHDAD, May 13 (UPI) -- Military officials Wednesday identified the four Army soldiers and one Navy commander killed in the shooting at a combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Army Sgt. John M. Russell, 44, of Sherman, Texas, is in military police custody at Victory Base Complex in Baghdad, charged with the five deaths and a count of aggravated assault, the Defense Department said. Russell allegedly used another soldier's gun, commandeered a vehicle and drove to the clinic, where he opened fire.

Advertisement

The victims were identified as:

-- Army Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas, assigned to the 55th Medical Company in Indianapolis.

-- Army Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J., assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

-- Army Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo., assigned to the 277th Engineer Company, 420th Engineer Brigade, Waco, Texas.

-- Army Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md., assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

-- Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C., assigned to the 55th Medical Company, Camp Liberty. Springle's identity was released Tuesday.

Advertisement

In a briefing Thursday, Iraq time, military spokesman Army Maj. Gen. David Perkins said the two officers killed were staff members at the stress clinic, where Russell was being treated. The three enlisted soldiers were at the clinic when the shooting began.

Russell was referred to the clinic for counseling about a week before the shooting, the spokesman said, and Russell's commander had confiscated his personal weapon.

Russell was completing his third tour in Iraq with a unit based at Camp Victory, part of the Victory Base Complex that also houses Camp Liberty, Perkins said.

Latest Headlines