NATO says 4 dead in shooting at training range
(AP) – 11 hours ago

KABUL, Afghanistan — Two American civilians and two Afghan soldiers were killed in a shooting on a northern Afghan military base, NATO said.

An Afghan soldier who trained others at the base outside Mazar-e-Sharif started shooting during a weapons exercise Tuesday, the international military coalition said in a statement.

The shooter was one of those killed, and it was not immediately clear if he targeted someone or if bullets had gone astray. It also was not clear how many people fired weapons.

NATO and Afghan forces are jointly investigating, Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said. There were no immediate details on the U.S. civilians, but contractors commonly work as trainers at such bases.

Intentional shootings by Afghans against coalition partners have occurred previously but still are rare.

Earlier this month, an Afghan soldier killed three British service members with gunfire and a rocket-propelled grenade in the dead of night.

The soldier fled after that attack, leaving his motive unclear. But the Taliban claimed he was a militant sympathizer taken in by insurgents after the assault.

In November, an Afghan policeman killed five British soldiers at a checkpoint in Helmand.

The attacks come as the international coalition is ramping up training of Afghan soldiers and policemen so they can ultimately take responsibility for securing and defending the nation.

The speed with which Afghan security forces are growing — the allies set an interim goal of expanding the Afghan army from 85,000 in 2009 to 134,000 troops by October 2011 — has raised concerns about infiltration by the Taliban and the professionalism of the forces.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jnmkvUCh84DnBZ33-rsgQ2v694mgD9H36F2G0

Above.

Ex-Lawton Officer Killed in Afghanistan Shooting
Posted: Jul 22, 2010 8:59 AM CDT
Updated: Jul 22, 2010 11:31 AM CDT




Charles BuckmanStaff and Wire Reports

LAWTON, Oklahoma –– A former Lawton police officer has been killed while training Afghanistan soldiers how to use their weapons, the city's police chief said Thursday.

Charles Buckman, 39, was among four people –– two American civilians and two Afghan soldiers –– that NATO said were killed Tuesday when one of the soldiers opened fire at Camp Shaheen in northern Afghanistan. Lawton Police Chief Ronnie Smith confirmed Buckman's death in an interview.

"He was training Afghan soldiers and one of the soldiers just turned on him, is what I was told," said Smith, citing a report he got from Buckman's employer, MPRI. "The guy just turned and started shooting."

NATO said an investigation into the shooting is under way. The international military coalition said in a statement that an Afghan soldier who trained others at the base outside Mazar-e-Sharif started shooting during the weapons exercise.

Buckman joined the Lawton department in 2002, Smith said.

"He did real well, came up real fast," Smith said. "He was very knowledgeable on weapons and very proficient. A real good guy, very well liked."

Buckman was assigned to the department's tactical team and to its gang task force before leaving after 6 1/2 years to work for Virginia-based MPRI and train soldiers in Afghanistan, Smith said.

MPRI, according to its website, is a division of L-3 Communications and provides services to the U.S. government, primarily in the National Security and Homeland Security sectors, international governments and agencies, state and local governments, and major corporations.

"He decided to do something to put money back for his kids for college and said he wanted to come back to the police department eventually," Smith said.

Smith said he promised Buckman he would be rehired upon his return.

"Charles was just a country boy that knew what he was doing, and was very intelligent, the more you talked to him, he had that old southern accent but he was very pleasant," said LPD Chief Ronnie Smith.

Buckman's body is to be flown from Afghanistan Thursday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and is expected to arrive in Oklahoma late next week, Smith said.

He said Buckman is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12852481