Fatal Camp Lejeune shooting death of Austin B. Schwenk – Obituary
Tragedy struck at Camp Lejeune, where a heartbreaking incident claimed the life of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Austin B. Schwenk, hailing from Onslow County, North Carolina.
This young Marine lost his life on Wednesday in a harrowing episode that unfolded within a barracks room, as officially reported by the base. Austin, who had enlisted in 2022, was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment stationed at Camp Lejeune.
Adding to the sorrow, authorities have taken another Marine into custody on suspicion of involvement in this tragic demise. The base has unequivocally classified this loss as a homicide, labeling the detained Marine as the prime suspect. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service will spearhead the inquiry into this heart-wrenching incident.
Camp Lejeune, an expansive military installation covering approximately 240 square miles, serves as the home to the II Marine Expeditionary Force. It facilitates critical training in amphibious assaults and urban warfare, playing a pivotal role in U.S. Marine training and hosting joint exercises involving military forces from across the globe.
This distressing occurrence transpired just two days before the base’s scheduled annual training event, known as Exercise Urgent Response. This exercise is designed to enable tenant commands to develop and test their emergency security protocols, as per an official press release.
In a previous incident in 2021, another Marine suffered a gunshot wound in a barracks at Camp Lejeune, with authorities subsequently determining the incident as accidental.