NYT identifies Blackwater shooter

The New York times has identified the primary suspect in a federal investigation into the Blackwater massacre at Nissour square, one Paul Slough formerly of the Texas National Guard:

Through a review of case documents and interviews in Texas and Washington, The New York Times identified the gunner as Mr. Slough, a former infantry soldier who joined Blackwater Worldwide after his dreams of joining the Army Special Forces were quashed by recurring problems from an old football injury.

His story offers a rare look at the men employed by the impenetrable private security company with the highest rate of shootings in Iraq. Military officials and executives of other contracting companies have long complained that Blackwater hired younger, financially struggling recruits; encouraged a shoot-first culture, and then used the company’s deep political connections with the Bush administration to shield its guards from punishment when they killed innocent people. [NYT]

Slough was a member of a Blackwater convoy that killed 17 Iraqi civilians in Nissour Square on September 16, 2007. Slough and his colleagues claim that the convoy was under attack, but neither military nor civilian investigators are buying their story.

Comments

[marc]

Well if nothing else this will keep him off the Dallas PD. Nothing can keep him from owning a gun in Texas though. Very scary dude.

[mudkitty]

The security dude is going to have to hire security now that his name has been released.

[pretzelattack]

it may keep him off the dallas pd, but how about the mesquite pd?

[marc]

mudkitty, you might be right. Bad ass dudes who'll gun down innocent rag heads, men women and children, might be just what Texas law enforcement is looking for. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that many of those police departments have been training at Blackwater, so it might even give Paul an edge.

[mudkitty]

No, my point is that the poor cat is now going to have to pay for his own security, otherwise it would be a sorry case of quid pro quo.

[marc]

Sorry I meant to direct the comment to pretzelattack. As for Mr Slough's safety, I would venture to guess that like most alleged violent criminals we can assume he is armed and dangerous. It would be an interesting story if some independent journalist, hint hint, could find out which civilian police agencies are availing themselves of Blackwater unique training in shall we say aggressive methods of "peace keeping".