A U.S. service member in Afghanistan reportedly entered Afghan civilians’ homes in the middle of the night and opened fire, killing as many as 16 of them, according to NBC News and BBC News.
NBC reports:
“It was a shooting incident involving multiple civilians wounded,” NATO spokesman Captain Brockhoff said. Brockhoff would not confirm or deny the number of civilians who had been killed or injured, but he did say that the wounded were receiving treatment at NATO medical facilities.
The soldier then reportedly turned himself in to U.S. military authorities.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Sunday on CNN that what the soldier did was “absolutely wrong.” He called it “very, very sad” and said “no one can condone or make any suggestion that what he did was right.”
“Well of course, our hearts go out to these innocent people,” Reid told Candy Crowley.
Update: U.S. officials confirm to AP that the soldier suspected of killing up to 16 Afghan civilians was an American Army service member.
