[Breaking News]
Four killed, two wounded in Marine Corps shooting spree
4일 오전 11시 50분께 해병대 2사단의 강화도 해안 초소에서 총기난사 사건이 일어나 6명의 사상자가 발생한 가운데 이날 오후 경기도 김포시 우리병원에서 응급진료를 마친 한 부상자가 구급차로 옮겨지고 있다. [연합뉴스]
A Marine Corps corporal went on a shooting spree at a seaside unit on Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, on Monday, killing four soldiers and wounding another, a military official said.
The 19-year-old shooter, identified only as Kim, was also injured in a separate incident after the shooting, other sources said.
Col. Kim Tae-eun, a spokesman for the Marine Corps, said the shootings took place at 11:50 a.m. inside the barracks of the Marine Corps unit on the southern part of the island, close to the maritime border with North Korea.
The victims were: Staff Sgt. Lee Seung-hoon, 25; Cpl. Lee Seung-ryeol, 20; Cpl. Park Chi-hyun, 21; and Lance Cpl. Kwon Seung-hyuk, 20.
Pvt. Kwon Hyuk, 19, was injured in the shooting. Col. Kim said the injuries to both Kwon and the shooter were not life threatening.
Col. Kim said officials were still trying to determine the motives behind the shooting. He said other soldiers who were at the barracks
at the time of the shooting were still being questioned.
Col. Kim said the platoon to which these soldiers belonged has about 30 troops, but it wasn't clear how many of them were inside the barracks during the shooting spree.
Col. Kim said the shooter used a K-2 rifle, but it wasn't clear how many shots were fired. Kim said a guard in that unit typically loads 15 bullets in the magazine.
According to sources, the shooter later went inside a guard post and detonated a hand grenade in an apparent suicide attempt and sustained severe injuries. They said the shooter was still conscious, but his injuries are keeping him from answering questions about his motives.
Col. Kim confirmed that one hand grenade went off on the unit, but officials were still trying to determine the exact location.
"We believe the grenade was detonated outside the barracks," Kim said. "We think the shooter came out of the barracks and threw a grenade inside a structure. We don't know yet if the place is a guard post or a warehouse. No other person was present there."
Col. Kim said the injured soldiers were being taken to a military hospital and that the remains of three of the deceased have not yet been recovered from the Marine Corps unit. Family members of the three soldiers were on the way to the scene. Cpl. Park was pronounced dead at a hospital later, Kim added.
"We have to wait until the investigation makes some progress to find out more details," Col. Kim said. "Once the shooter is treated, our investigation will get under way in earnest."
In another high-profile case of a shooting rampage in the military, Army Pfc. Kim Dong-min tossed a hand grenade and opened fire at sleeping soldiers in a fit of anger toward abusive superiors in June 2005. He was later sentenced to death by a district Army court.
Col. Kim said Monday's shooting spree was the first incident of its kind in the Marine Corps "in recent years." [Yonhap]
김모 상병 생활관서 난사..김상병 포함 2명 부상
4일 오전 11시50분께 해병대 2사단의 강화도 해안 소초에서 김모 상병(19)이 총기를 난사해 이승훈 하사(25) 등 4명이 사망하고 김 상병을 포함한 병사 2명이 부상했다.
해병대 김태은 정훈공보실장은 이날 국방부 브리핑에서 "강화도 남쪽에 위치한 해병대 2사단의 현지 경계작전 수행부대에서 총기사고로 4명이 사망하고 사고자를 포함한 2명이 부상했다"면서 "처음엔 사망자가 3명이었으나 수도병원으로 이송 중 1명이 숨졌다"고 밝혔다.
부상자인 권 혁 이병(19)과 사고자 김 모(19) 상병은 의식이 있고 생명에는 지장이 없는 상황이다.
김 실장은 "김 상병의 신병을 확보했다"면서 "해병대사령부에 유낙준 사령관을 반장으로 사고 조사반을 편성하고 해병 헌병과 감찰요원, 해군본부 감식반을 현장에 파견해 정확한 경위를 조사 중"이라고 말했다.
사망자 3명의 시신은 현장에 보존하고 최종 감식결과가 나온 뒤 수도병원으로 이송할 예정이며, 부상한 권 이병과 사고자 김 상병은 수도병원으로 이송했다고 그는 전했다.
해병대 1차 조사에 따르면 김 상병은 점심시간 직전 생활관에서 K-2 소총 여러 발을 난사한 다음 생활관을 뛰쳐나와 생활관과 떨어진 격실에서 수류탄 1발을 터뜨려 자신도 부상했다.
김 상병이 총기를 난사하고 수류탄을 터뜨린 경위는 현재 조사 중이다. 헌병대에서 부대원 전원의 신병을 확보해 조사 중이어서 당시 생활관에 몇 명이 있었는지 등은 아직 파악되지 않고 있다고 해병대는 전했다.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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