Tillman death probe

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has directed the United States Army to launch a criminal investigation into whether the friendly fire death of Army Ranger and former professional football star Pat Tillman was a homicide, the Army said.

An Army official said the Army Criminal Investigation Command would seek to determine whether one of the handful of soldiers involved in the incident committed negligent homicide or some other crime in Tillman's death in Afghanistan in 2004.

The official said he "wouldn't want to speculate" as to whether the investigation was focusing on the actions of a particular soldier.

The Army, despite knowing almost immediately Tillman was shot by fellow soldiers, initially stated publicly that his death in a remote canyon near the Pakistani border on April 22, 2004, was the result of enemy fire.

- REUTERS