Thread: Fort Carson Ring Linked to G.I. Deaths

Fort Carson Ring Linked to G.I. Deaths
The Gazette | January 10, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Two Iraq war veterans from the same Fort Carson platoon were tied to a Colorado Springs crime ring that police said is responsible for killing two Soldiers and other recent violent crimes.

Colorado Springs police say former Soldier Louis Bressler and Pfc. Bruce Bastien Jr. are the prime suspects in the Aug. 4 killing of Pfc. Robert James, 23, of the 43rd Area Support Group, whose bullet-riddled body was found in a car in a Lake Avenue bank parking lot.

Bressler, 24, and Bastien, 21, are in jail in connection with death of Spc. Kevin Shields of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, whose body was found Dec. 1 on the sidewalk in the 200 block of South 16th Street near Old Colorado City after he was shot to death. He had been out celebrating his 24th birthday.

Police say a third jailed suspect, 24-year-old former Fort Carson Soldier Kenneth Eastridge, is tied to the Shields killing and other crimes, but hasn't been charged in James' death.

Police Lt. Skip Arms said police began to gather evidence of the crime ring after Shields' death. He said they have linked the three Iraq combat veterans to "other attempted murder and violent felony crimes that have occurred during the last several months."

Arms did not specify any other crimes, and indicated more members of the ring may remain at large.

"Possibly some others may have been involved," Arms said Saturday. He deflected most questions by saying police didn't want to release information during their investigation.

Arms said the ring may have been involved in a driveby shooting, but provided no details.

Fort Carson records show that Shields, Bressler, Eastridge and Bastien served together in Iraq with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. All were in the same platoon of C Company, 2nd Battalion of the 12th Infantry Regiment. All four came home this spring and summer, months earlier than other Soldiers in the unit, who remain deployed in Baghdad.

James served with Fort Carson's 43rd Area Support Group and also was an Iraq war veteran.

"We are saddened by the tragic loss of Spc. Shields and Pfc. James," Fort Carson commander Maj. Gen. Mark Graham said in a statement released Saturday. "Losing a fellow a Soldier affects us all."

Colorado Springs police said Bressler, Bastien and Eastridge remained in jail on investigation of murder.

Bressler and Eastridge were trained by the Army to be infantry riflemen, expert in tactics from camouflage to marksmanship.

Eastridge was wounded in combat and had received the Purple Heart and Army Achievement medals. Bressler's Army accomplishments weren't immediately available.

A medic, Bastien's job in Iraq was to save lives, and he had earned the combat medical badge for rendering aid under enemy fire.

Family members have said Bressler came home from Iraq for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental illness that has become a hallmark of the Iraq war. Some 600 Fort Carson Soldiers were diagnosed with it last year.

Commanders at the post have said war-related stress is possibly responsible for a sharp increase in crime on the post since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The number of Soldiers going AWOL for a month or more went from 22 in 2003 to 110 last year. Domestic violence reports rose from 21 in 2003 to 79 last year, and theft reports jumped from 68 to 179.

Joseph Weddington served in the company with Bressler and Shields on its previous deployment to Iraq. He said when the brigade reached Fort Carson in August 2005 after a year in Iraq, discipline broke down.

"A lot of guys started using drugs," said the Birmingham, Ala., resident who left the Army last year.

He said Bressler and others maintained their military bearing.

"They weren't involved in anything like that," he said.

Weddington said they survived a difficult year outside Ramadi, Iraq, and saw more death in their most recent deployment to Baghdad.

"I think they had it worse this time," he said.

Arms said detectives hope other victims will recognize the three men and call 444-7000 to help police tie them to other crimes. Fort Carson spokeswoman Dee McNutt said the post is giving cooperating fully with Colorado Springs authorities in their investigation.

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Family members have said Bressler came home from Iraq for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental illness that has become a hallmark of the Iraq war. Some 600 Fort Carson Soldiers were diagnosed with it last year.

Commanders at the post have said war-related stress is possibly responsible for a sharp increase in crime on the post since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The number of Soldiers going AWOL for a month or more went from 22 in 2003 to 110 last year. Domestic violence reports rose from 21 in 2003 to 79 last year, and theft reports jumped from 68 to 179.

Joseph Weddington served in the company with Bressler and Shields on its previous deployment to Iraq. He said when the brigade reached Fort Carson in August 2005 after a year in Iraq, discipline broke down.

"A lot of guys started using drugs," said the Birmingham, Ala., resident who left the Army last year.

This is what I would like you to focus on.. this is what we are doing to our young men and women