A former soldier shot and killed an active-duty service member and three children at his ex-wife's house nine miles from Shaw Air Force Base late Tuesday evening, according to law enforcement.
The shooting occurred at the home of Sgt. Maj. Aletha Holliday, who survived the attack in Sumter, South Carolina, according to local authorities. The suspect, Charles Slacks, died by suicide following the attack, according to police.
The Army is withholding the name of the 38-year-old service member who died until the next of kin is notified. The children were 5, 6 and 11 years old. Holliday was not harmed but home at the time Slacks entered and started firing, authorities say.
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"Our sincere condolences are extended to the family," Dr. William Wright, who is the superintendent of the local school district, said in a statement, according to local reporting from News 19. "School counselors and our Crisis Response Team are at the schools to assist our students and staff who need assistance with this tragic loss. Our hearts are filled with sadness, and we will continue to lend support to one another during this time."
Slacks managed ammunition logistics at Shaw Air Force Base as a Defense Department civilian, according to his LinkedIn profile, and previously oversaw safety procedures for firing ranges. He served in the Army between 1999 and 2006, working in intelligence.
Shaw Air Force Base is one of the largest installations in the Pentagon's portfolio, with some 12,500 acres of land and 8,200 active-duty personnel. It is also home to U.S. Army Central, often referred to as the Third Army.
The incident comes on the heels of another high-profile shooting that rocked the military community. A Fort Bragg, North Carolina, soldier is accused of shooting his fiancee and injuring her child in January. Brandon Amos-Dixon, 25, is also facing a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Jimmy Lee Smith III, 23, another Fort Bragg soldier.
-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.
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