Skip to main content

Civilian wounded in US military drill in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania’s Defense Ministry says a civilian man was accidentally shot and wounded after entering a restricted military area during an exercise involving U.S. paratroopers.

Armed forces spokesman Mindaugas Neimontas said Friday said the man was hospitalized with gunshot wounds to his legs, arm and chest late Thursday on the military base in Gaizunai. It said his injuries were not life-threatening.

It was unclear why and how the man, who was not identified, had entered the base. Local media said he was collecting spent cartridge cases to resell the metal. Lithuanian authorities were investigating the incident.

Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Italy, were in Lithuania to take part in NATO exercises launched in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story