The U.S. soldier suspected of killing 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children and three women, admitted the murders to defense officials, NBC News reported Tuesday. They said he told them "I did it" just after he was taken into custody following the shootings. According to the Associated Press, the 38-year-old Stryker brigade staff sergeant was reportedly caught on surveillance video walking up to his base and raising his arms in surrender. The married father of two had recently been having marital problems, defense officials said. NBC reported that the soldier could face capital murder charges and thus the death penalty and that the military will conduct his court martial hearing in Afghanistan to signal to Afghans that they take the crime very seriously. Earlier, defense officials had also told NBC the suspect had no history of behavioral problems but had been treated for a traumatic brain injury after one of his three previous Iraq tours.
