Marine Cleared in Somali Boy’s Death

U.S. military authorities have dropped charges against a Marine who shot and killed a 13-year-old Somali boy last month, military spokesman Col. Fred Peck said Thursday.

Peck said officials decided “after careful review” that no action would be taken against Sgt. Walter Andrew Johnson, who killed Omar Ahmed Mohamed on Feb. 4. Johnson, who also wounded two bystanders, opened fire in the belief that the boy was about to drop something, probably an explosive device, into the marines’ vehicle.

In a separate case, Peck said the U.S. military had decided that Gunnery Sgt. Harry Conde would be tried by court martial April 5 for shooting and wounding a Somali youth who tried to steal his sunglasses. Conde, 33, faces two charges of aggravated assault.