A Marine Corps boot camp is being investigated on hazing allegations after a 20-year-old Muslim recruit died during training earlier this year from an apparent suicide.
The Marine Corps Times reported Wednesday that Raheel Siddiqui, 20, died March 18, days after his arrival at the Marine Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina. An investigation into his death led to the wider investigation. Over a dozen instructors under investigation have been removed from having direct contact with recruits.
"The allegations, against approximately 15 drill instructors and affiliated leadership, identify potential violations of Marine Corps orders to include hazing, physical abuse, assault and failure of supervision," officials from Training and Education Command, who oversee the Marines recruit training depots, said in a statement.
"The investigations date back to November of 2015 and appear isolated to companies within the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion," the statement continued.
Siddiqui, a Muslim man born to Pakistani immigrants, fell three stories from a barracks stairwell in what the Marine Corps called an apparent suicide,
wrote The Wall Street Journal. The death caused the Marines to take another look at the battalion, nicknamed the "Thumping Third Battalion" for its reported "reputation of heavy-handed behavior toward recruits," wrote the Journal.
The news outlet stated that the Marine Corps has not said if Siddiqui's ethnic or religious background affected his treatment at boot camp or if it played any role in his death.
"We take every allegation of misconduct very seriously and will review each investigation carefully," said Maj. Gen. James W. Lukeman, the commanding general of Training and Education Command.
"The safety of the recruits and the integrity of the Marine Corps recruit training program are among our top priorities and, once the investigations are complete, we will take necessary administrative and judicial action as warranted to ensure proper accountability," Lukeman added.
ABC News reported that Col. Paul D. Cucinotta, the unit's commanding officer, was removed from his leadership position for what Lukeman called "a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to serve in that position."
"[Cucinotta's removal] was based on information made known to Lukeman during the course of an ongoing command investigation related to instances where policies and procedures were not followed," a Marine statement said.
Sgt. Maj. Nicholas Deabreu, Cucinotta's senior enlisted advisor, was also removed from his post.
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