Mystery death on Skype: What killed US captain in Afghanistan?
It is a mystery gripping the US military: What caused a US soldier at a base in Afghanistan to die during a video chat with his wife?
Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark was speaking via Skype with his wife Susan Oreliana-Clark on May 1 when he was 鈥渟uddenly knocked forward,鈥� according to statement released by his wife on Sunday.
鈥淭here was no sign that CPT Clark was in any discomfort, nor did he indicate any alarm,鈥� her statement noted.
Yet she did notice a disturbing detail after her husband collapsed forward out of the view of the computer鈥檚 video camera: 鈥淭he closet behind him had a bullet hole in it.鈥澛�
Oreliana-Clark promptly called family members and tried to reach military officials as the Skype chat feed continued and her husband did not respond to her voice.聽
鈥淭he Skype link continued for approximately two hours as CPT Clark鈥檚 family and friends stateside and in theater worked feverishly to send help.鈥�
After two hours, military officials and Mrs. Clark say, two military personnel arrived in Clark鈥檚 room in Afghanistan 鈥渁nd appeared to check his pulse,鈥� according to the Clark family statement.
His wife, who had been working 鈥渇everishly鈥� to reach military officials, was 鈥減rovided no details about his condition鈥� by the troops who arrived on the scene.
The US Army Criminal Investigation Command released its own statement Monday morning expressing condolences to the family, which has gone public with their plight, but offering few details in Clark鈥檚 death.
鈥淲e know this is a very traumatic and difficult time for all involved,鈥� the statement read.
Military spokesman were adamant, however, that Clark鈥檚 death was not caused by a bullet. 鈥淎lthough the investigation into his death is open and ongoing by Special Agents from the US Army Criminal Investigation Command, we can positively say that Captain Clark was not shot,鈥� wrote Chris Grey, spokesperson for the US Army Criminal Investigation Command.
What鈥檚 more, US military agents involved in the investigation have 鈥渇ound no trauma to the body beyond minor abrasions and a possible broken nose most likely caused from Captain Clark striking his face on his desk when he collapsed,鈥� according to Grey.
Clark, a chief nurse serving at a small base southwest of Kabul in Tarin Kot, joined the military in 2006. He deployed to Afghanistan in March from the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
At present, Grey says that US military officials 鈥渄o not suspect foul play鈥� at this point in the investigation, 鈥渁lthough we have not completely ruled it out.鈥�
