Robert Bales
American mass murderer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Robert Bales (born June 30, 1973) is an American mass murderer and former Army sniper who killed 16 Afghan civilians in a mass shooting in Panjwayi District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, on March 11, 2012 – an event known as the Kandahar massacre.
Robert Bales | |
---|---|
Born | (1973-06-30) June 30, 1973 (age 50) |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Ohio State University |
Occupation | Former U.S. Army soldier |
Known for | Kandahar massacre |
Criminal status | Incarcerated |
Spouse | Karilyn Bales |
Children | 2 |
Conviction(s) |
|
Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment without parole |
Details | |
Date | March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11) 03:00 AFT |
Location(s) | Balandi and Alkozai villages of Afghanistan |
Target(s) | Afghan civilians |
Killed | 16 |
Injured | 6 |
Weapons | M4 carbine and M9 sidearm; some victims were found with both gunshot and stab wounds. |
Imprisoned at | United States Disciplinary Barracks |
In order to avoid the death penalty, Bales pleaded guilty to 16 counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, and seven counts of assault in a plea deal.[1] On August 23, 2013, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[2] Before sentencing, Bales expressed his regret by referring to the murders as "an act of cowardice".[3] While Bales has exhausted all military appeals, his attorney announced in 2019 that he would be seeking a new trial in civilian court due to possible side effects of mefloquine, an anti-malaria drug Bales claims to have been taking at the time of the shooting.[3]