Even as firefights between Marines and Iraqi...

Even as firefights between Marines and Iraqi paramilitary units erupted sporadically, Marine officers and enlisted personnel fanned out across the sprawling city to investigate cases of civilians hurt or killed by Marine gunfire or artillery.

“Every one of these cases is tragic,” Capt. Joe Plenzler said. One of the cases being investigated involved three male Iraqis shot to death when Marines fired on their Toyota after the driver failed to obey commands to stop and ignored warning shots Wednesday night. The incident occurred adjacent to the governmental complex that the Marines are using as a staging area.

Marines opened fire from about 100 yards. The three bodies slumped over immediately. A search later found no weapons. Relatives identified the dead as Hussein Ali, Mohammed Kadhim and his son, 14-year-old Imad Mohammed.