A Marine recruit at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, is being kicked out of boot camp after reportedly attacking another recruit who was in a wheelchair.
The Beaufort Gazette first reported that recruit Rct. Morgan Brown was knocked unconscious during the alleged attack at the Marine Corps' East Coast training depot. At the time, Brown was assigned to a the support battalion while recovering from a stress fracture to his hip, according to the newspaper.
A spokesman for Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, confirmed there was an incident between two recruits assigned to the support battalion on March 27, but could not release the name of the alleged attacker until the command investigation into the matter is complete.
"The two recruits involved are now in separate units and administrative action was taken by the chain of command against the offender as a result of the incident," Capt. Greg Carroll said in an email. "The offender is being processed for separation from the Marine Corps for his disciplinary infractions."
Carroll did not identify the recruit who was attacked, but he confirmed that Brown is a member of the support battalion there at Parris Island.
"The Marine Corps prohibits behavior inconsistent with our core values of honor, courage and commitment and is committed to holding accountable those who demonstrate otherwise," he Carroll said.
Attempts to reach Brown's family for comment were unsuccessful on Thursday.
The fight is the most recent incident to rock Parris Island, where recruit Raheel Siddiqui, 20, died on March 18 after falling 40 nearly 40 feet in a barracks stairwell. Investigators do not suspect foul play was involved in Siddiqui’s death, said Ed Buice, a spokesman for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. However, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich, is pressing the Marine Corps over whether he was hazed while at boot camp.
Officials have not provided a timeline for the investigation into Siddiqui’s death, but Ed Buice, a spokesman for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has said that such investigations can take a year.
Siddiqui was assigned to the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, which saw its whose commander was relieved of command on March 31 amid . Lt. Col. Joshua Kissoon was relieved of command after being investigated for allegations of misconduct. Carroll has said previously that the investigation was not related to Siddiqui's death. The commander inspector general at Parris Island received the investigation into Kissoon two weeks before Siddiqui arrived at Parris Island on March 7. Col. Paul Cucinotta, commanding officer of the Recruit Training Regiment, decided to fire Kissoon on March 17, the day before Siddiqui died.
