No change in airman's condition
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on February 22, 2011 1:46 PM
A 4th Fighter Wing airman remained in critical condition this morning after a shooting at his home late Friday afternoon, a Pitt Memorial Hospital spokesman confirmed just before press time.
Cody Hendrickson, a 23-year-old member of the wing's Component Maintenance Squadron, was found at his apartment off Sandhill Drive, after what a source familiar with the crime scene characterized as a "suicide attempt."
The incident marks the fifth tragedy to hit Seymour Johnson Air Force Base since early October.
Since the first two incidents, 4th Commander Col. Patrick Doherty has said he and his leadership team are taking a pro-active approach to prevent further tragedies -- that suicide prevention is his top priority for 2011.
And while some Seymour Johnson airmen have said that increased deployment cycles and pressures from other demands such as readiness exercises and inspections have taken their toll on Air Force personnel and their families, Doherty has denied that the five tragedies have anything to do with the stresses of Air Force life.