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Missouri soldier among those shot by sergeant

By Maria Altman, KWMU

St. Louis, MO. – A Missouri man was among five soldiers killed when an Army sergeant allegedly open-fired at a combat stress unit in Baghdad.

Specialist Jacob Barton was from Lenox, Missouri about 30 miles south of Rolla.

The 20-year old was originally assigned to Fort Leonard Wood's Army Reserve Unit.

Spokesman Mike Alley says Barton was reassigned to 277th engineer company out of Texas as part of its deployment to Iraq.

When asked how those at Fort Leonard Wood are reacting, Alley said each soldier's death is taken personally.

"This specifically was such a horrible tragedy that it's kind of hard to take it all in," Alley said.

The man accused in the shooting, 44-year-old Sgt. John Russell, was finishing his third tour in Iraq.

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