By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) – The man killed in a shooting Thursday at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was a lieutenant colonel and battalion commander, a defense official told CNN on Friday.
The officer, whose name was not released pending notification of relatives, was shot by a soldier in his unit during a security briefing, the source said. The alleged shooter then turned the gun on himself and was in critical condition, the military said in a news release.
The incident was reported to the fort’s 911 center at 3:31 p.m.
Earlier, the official had said the alleged shooter was not expected to survive. A third soldier received a minor wound. He was identified as Spec. Michael E. Latham, a signal support system specialist.
The alleged shooter, a specialist, was facing court martial after being accused of stealing a tool box worth nearly $2,000 from a motor pool, and faced dishonorable discharge if found guilty, the official said.
The battalion commander had gathered his unit for a safety briefing that was really more of a “stay safe” talk before the July 4th weekend, the official said.
During the talk, the specialist pulled out a gun and started shooting, then shot himself, the official said.
The alleged shooter had once served on the battalion commander’s security detail during a tour in Afghanistan, the official said.
