Eight U.S. Soldiers Charged in Comrade’s Death

On Oct. 3, 19-year-old U.S. Army Pvt. Danny Chen died of a gunshot wound to the head in southern Afghanistan. The Army initially called his death a suicide. The back story now involves eight of his fellow soldiers who allegedly subjected Chen to race-based hazing.

AP via the San Jose Mercury News:

Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said at a news conference Wednesday in Chinatown that Chen’s fellow soldiers had dragged him across the floor, threw stones at the back of his head, forced him to hold liquid in his mouth while upside down as part of an apparent hazing, and called him “Jackie Chen” in a mocking accent.

[…] The Army said Wednesday that eight soldiers in his company have been charged with crimes ranging from dereliction of duty to manslaughter.

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