"Quick Draw" soldier could face serious charges

Soldier From Baldwin County Could Face Serious Charges In Shooting
By: CHAD PETRI
WKRG-TV
Published: January 16, 2012

FAIRHOPE, Alabama --
Sgt. Matthew Gallagher was just days away from his 23rd birthday when he was shot to death in Iraq. The gunman was not an insurgent but allegedly his roommate, a soldier from Fairhope Brent McBride. I spoke to Gallagher's family in Massachusetts via Skype.

“[Matthew] didn't have holidays with his family so [McBride] needs to serve some time,” says Gallagher’s mother Cheryl Ruggiero. Based on conversations with the family and media reports soldiers may have been playing a game of quick-draw--where they see who can be the first to draw their weapon--McBride's gun fired and Gallagher was dead.

“This guy destroyed our lives, took away the most important person and we will never ever have him back,” says Gallagher’s wife Katie. The shooting happened in late June of 2011 in Iraq.

The military held an Article 32 hearing last month in Texas. McBride could be charged with manslaughter, or negligent homicide, or murder, or nothing--depending on what military officials decide.
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