Saipan Tribune - Anamarie San Nicolas Camacho, 20, from Tinian, Saipan were shot dead by a male colleague in Bahrain early Monday morning.
The Navy declined to release the names of those involved, saying their families had not been notified. However, Jovy San Nicolas Paulino of Tinian confirmed that one of the victims was her daughter, Anamarie San Nicolas Camacho, 20.
Paulino said her other daughter, Joana Lynn San Nicolas-Killoren, called her early yesterday morning to tell her that Camacho was killed by a fellow Navy inside the barracks of an American military base in Bahrain.
Paulino said she is expecting a call today to find out more about the incident. She said Killoren is trying to ferret out more information about the incident.
Their alleged killer, fellow serviceman Clarence Jackson, 20, was still in critical condition in BDF Hospital last night, after apparently shooting himself in the head.
The Navy said the shootings, which took place around 5am and forced the base to close for about an hour, were not terror related and only involved U.S. military personnel.
A State Department official in Washington said that while initial reports suggested the incident may have been the result of a "love triangle," it now appeared to be a case of a jilted boyfriend shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend and then shooting himself.
It was not clear if the second female victim was romantically involved, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still under way.
The wounded sailor apparently shot himself, the Navy said.
"The incident is under investigation, and it would not be prudent to discuss details at this time," said Navy spokesman Lt. John Gay.
Camacho's remains are expected to arrive on Monday. Paulino said her daughter's memorial service is set the following day, “hopefully with full military honors.”
Paulino has already informed the CNMI Military Veterans Affairs Office to relay the news to executive director Ruth Coleman.
Coleman said her office would arrange necessary services for the fallen female soldier.
Paulino said she could still remember her daughter's face, especially the big smile she had. “She always had big smiles. She was an individual who was filled with so much energy,” she said, her voice trembling during a phone interview with Saipan Tribune yesterday.
She described Camacho as a joyful child. Paulino recalled that it was her daughter's decision to join the Navy two years ago. She said her daughter knew that getting into college was expensive, so she chose to join the Navy right after graduating from the Tinian Jr. and Sr. High School to get a degree. “She always tried to do things on her own. She was an independent child,” Paulino said.
Camacho is the sixth CNMI native to die in active duty in the Middle East.
Bahrain, a tiny island nation on the Persian Gulf, is a U.S. ally and home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which is responsible for an area of about 2.5 million square miles of water including the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.
About 3,600 personnel work on the U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain base, located just outside Bahrain’s capital, Manama. The base supports U.S. naval ships in the region.