This story just gets me every time I read about it. This is such a tough deal for everyone involved, and the emotions involved with this will make the trial very interesting. –Matt
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Killing in Afghanistan hits very close to home
by Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune
Tuesday December 16, 2008, 10:08 PM
WASHINGTON — Paula Loyd, a social scientist helping U.S. troops adjust to the cultural and political landscape of war-ravaged Afghanistan, was talking to residents of a village near Kandihar last month when, without warning, one of the men ignited a container of flammable liquid and tossed it at her, setting her on fire.
With Loyd, 36, engulfed in flames, the attacker fled, running about 50 yards in the direction of Don Ayala, a New Orleans man working as a private security contractor to protect Loyd and other members of her Army Human Terrain System team. Ayala, according to an affidavit from an Army special agent, drew his pistol but did not fire, instead extending his arm to knock the attacker, Abdul Salam, to the ground.
Assisted by soldiers from C Company, 2-2 Infantry Battalion, Ayala subdued Salam, and handcuffed him with plastic restraints, although the man continued to resist, according to the affidavit. About 10 minutes later, a soldier passed word to Ayala and the U.S. soldiers that Loyd’s condition was very bad.