Marine Dies after Shooting Himself in Washington DC Barracks

Washington Post

On Friday evening, authorities say, Schoenfelder shot himself in the head at the barracks buildings in Southeast Washington, where the Marine commandant lives. He died Saturday in what D.C. police say is being investigated as an accident.

Two D.C. police officials said Schoenfelder was shot inside a guard shack and there was a second Marine with him at the time. Investigators are exploring the possibility that a gun accidentally discharged as the Marines were playing the game “Trust,” in which one points a weapon at the other, according to those two officials and a third person in law enforcement, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Capt. John Norton, a spokesman for Marine Barracks Washington, would not comment on the number of people in the guard shack at the time of the shooting, nor would he discuss whether investigators are looking into the “Trust” game, which has led to deaths and headlines across the country.

As part of the game, one Marine pretends to load a magazine into a weapon, points it at another’s head and says, “Do you trust me?” according to accounts in the Marine Corps Times. After getting an answer, the Marine holding the gun either pulls the trigger or lowers the weapon. Either way, there should not be any bullets fired.

The Times paper has reported on service members convicted of manslaughter and court-
martialed after accidental shootings. If Schoenfelder was killed while playing “Trust,” police say, something went terribly awry for him to have shot himself.