U.S. Soldier Found Dead in Kosovo

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Army has ruled out hostile fire as the cause of death of a soldier found shot Wednesday in a NATO military camp in Kosovo, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday.

The soldier was identified as Spc. Igor A. Katz, 20, whose stepmother lives in Florida. Katz was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Regiment deployed as part of the NATO peacekeeping mission to Kosovo.

He was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head at 7:30 a.m. local time Wednesday within the confines of Camp Bondsteel, the name of the U.S. Army base set up inside Kosovo.

``We're taking a look at all options,'' said Rear Adm. Craig Quigley, a Pentagon spokesman, when asked about the origin of the shooting. But asked if there were any indications of hostile fire, Quigley said, ``no.''

Two possibilities being examined are an accident during a gun cleaning, or a self-inflicted wound.
 
 

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