Marine Killed, Another Injured in Training Accident

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U.S. Marines with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, conduct a company attack range in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 21, 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Sarah N. Petrock)
U.S. Marines with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, conduct a company attack range in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 21, 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Sarah N. Petrock)

Training aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms in California turned tragic Friday when a Marine was killed and another injured during a live fire exercise.

The combat center announced the death and injury Saturday evening, a day after the accident took place, but provided few details about the incident.

A Combat Center spokeswoman, 1st. Lt. Karen Holliday, said the accident took place at 5:05 p.m. Friday.

The two Marines were participating in small arms live-fire training ahead of the start of an Integrated Training Exercise, Holliday said. The exercise, typically known as ITX, is a standard pre-deployment workup that infantry units and some support units complete.

The injured Marine was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, she said.

Officials at the Combat Center said the incident remains under investigation, and the identity of the Marine killed in the accident is not being released until 24 hours after next of kin is notified.

In a statement, the commander of 29 Palms, Brig. Gen. William Mullen, offered his sympathies to those closest to the Marines involved.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

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