Soldier shot in barracks

The following is from the Fayetteville Observer. There are lots of Joe rumors about this and I won't repeat them here until the Army releases the report. Subsequent inspections of the barracks has found an astounding number of handguns:

Army investigates death of soldier in barracks

By Henry Cuningham
Military editor


The Army is investigating the death of a Fort Bragg soldier early Sunday from a gunshot wound in a barracks room, 82nd Airborne Division officials said Monday.

Pfc. Matthew R. Grandy, 24, of Wake Forest, died in a barracks next to Butner Road. He was assigned to the division’s 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

The unit and the Army Criminal Investigation Command will investigate the incident, said Master Sgt. Tom Clementson, a division spokesman.

“They are going to look at all the contributing factors,” Clementson said.

The Army is restrictive of information on incidents under investigation, and even less information was available because of the federal Columbus Day holiday on Monday.

However, the incident raises questions about the presence of a weapon in the room of a barracks, where military and personal firearms are supposed to be stored in the arms room.

“Any weapon owned by a soldier who resides in the barracks has to be registered with the installation and stored in the arms room,” Clementson said. “The registration is in addition to North Carolina law.”

The Fort Bragg Provost Marshal’s Office said privately owned firearms must be registered within five working days of reporting to Fort Bragg or within five working days of acquiring the weapon.

From time to time, unit leaders go through the barracks to check for contraband or anything that might interfere with a safe, healthy environment.

Grandy is at least the second 82nd Airborne Division soldier to die on Fort Bragg from unnatural causes in less than three months.

The Army continues to investigate the death of Pfc. Luke Brown, whose body was found July 20 on Fort Bragg in a car in a parking lot near a building off Bastogne Drive. It was reported about 3:50 a.m. Army officials described the death as a homicide.

Brown, who was 27 and from Fredericksburg, Va., was an intelligence analyst with the division’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company.

Grandy arrived at the unit in September 2007 and had not deployed.

He joined the Army in August 2006 and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., in October 2006. He then attended specialized training at Fort Gordon, Ga., and the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2007.

Grandy is survived by his mother and father, Theresa and Alfred Grandy of Wake Forest, and a sister, Alisha Grandy of Wake Forest.