Eight U.S. soldiers have been charged with a variety of offenses related to the suicide death of Pvt. Danny Chen. The 19-year-old Chen committed suicide Oct. 3 while on duty in a guard tower in a combat outpost in Kandahar Province,
The Washington Post reported.
Chen was apparently targeted with abuse from fellow soldiers that included taunts about his ethnicity and physical abuse. The eight soldiers are charged with a variety of offenses that range from dereliction of duty, making false statements and assault, to negligent homicide and reckless endangerment, the Post reported.
Sgt. 1st Class Alan Davis, a military spokesman, told the Post that the eight have been transferred from Kandahar province and relieved of duty. Davis said they are not being detained and will likely face prosecution in Afghanistan.
According to the Post, the eight facing charges are 1st Lt. Daniel Schwartz, Staff Sgt. Blaine Dugas, Staff Sgt. Andrew Van Bockel, Sgt. Adam Holcomb, Sgt. Jeffrey Hurst, Spc. Thomas Curtis, Spc. Ryan Offutt and Sgt. Travis Carden.
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