A Louisiana National Guard soldier has died from a noncombat incident at Al-Tanf Garrison in Syria last month, though military officials declined to disclose what happened.
First Sgt. Casey J. Hart, 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died Tuesday at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland after suffering a medical emergency May 9 in Syria.
Hart was assigned to the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Lafayette. He also worked as a patrol officer for the Baton Rouge Police Department.
Louisiana National Guard spokesperson Maj. Noel Collins said the incident that took Hart’s life is under investigation and declined to provide further details.
The WAFB television station in Louisiana reported that Hart went into a cardiac arrest while running last month.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for his medical care and had raised more than $27,000 as of Thursday.
Hart leaves behind a wife and young daughter, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.
“Corporal Hart is a 14-year veteran of the police department and was assigned as a Uniformed Patrol Officer at 3rd District,” said Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul in a statement posted to Facebook.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to Corporal Hart’s friends and family, especially his wife, Keri, his daughter, and all those he touched through his life and service,” Paul added.
Hart was posted in Syria at a small garrison near the Iraq-Syria border known as Al-Tanf, where special operations forces have spent their time training a proxy force known as Maghaweir Thowra.
