Marine killed in live-fire training accident at Camp Pendleton: officials

A U.S. Marine died during a nighttime live-fire training event on Thursday, officials said. 

The Marine was assigned as a student to the School of Infantry-West aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. An investigation into the circumstances of the death is ongoing, Major Joshua J. Pena said in a news release. 

“The command is fully cooperating with the investigation efforts,” Pena said. “SOI-W is providing support to the family and peers of the deceased during this difficult time. There is no additional information available at this time.”

School of Infantry-West is one of two schools where entry-level Marines are trained to be combat-ready.

The other is School of Infantry-East at Camp Geiger in North Carolina. 

“At SOI, recently graduated enlisted Marines continue their education and training to become more proficient in the fundamentals of being a rifleman,” the Marine Corps website states. “Marines with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of infantry are trained at the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all non-infantry Marines are trained at the Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT).”

“School of Infantry-West trains Riflemen and Infantrymen in MOS skills across the infantry training continuum and produces Combat Instructors who train Marines here and throughout their careers to dominate and control any battlespace,” the Training Command website states. 

Pena said SOI students undergo basic reconnaissance training in order to become Reconnaissance Marines. 

He explained a casualty assistance representative was sent to meet with the family of the deceased to provide counseling, care and keep loved ones appraised of developments in the investigation. 

More information will be released about the incident 24 hours after next of kin have been notified, Pena told Fox News Digital. 

“The family has our deepest condolences as we continue to work with them during this difficult time,” he said. 

In 2020, eight Marines and a sailor were killed in a training accident involving an amphibious assault vehicle at Camp Pendleton. The landing craft took on water and sank in 385 feet of water as it headed back to a Navy ship after completing routine training on July 30, according to military reports.

Nine service members were killed and later were found during underwater salvage operations.