Canadian reservist killed in Afghanistan friendly fire

Canadian reservist killed in non-combat shooting
Mar. 6 2007 CTV.ca

A Canadian soldier was killed in a non-combat shooting in Afghanistan, CTV News has confirmed.

A government source told CTV News that the soldier was Cpl. Kevin Megeney, a reservist from Stellarton, N.S.

There has been no official confirmation of details surrounding the incident, but there are reports that Megeney, 25, was killed in an accidental shooting.

Canadian reporters in Kandahar were in a military-ordered lockdown and were unable to immediately provide any information related to the report.

Megeney's sister, Lisa, told the Canadian Press that her younger brother was apparently in his tent when he was shot.

"It was friendly fire, that's all I know," she told CP as military officials briefed the family on the incident, which occurred sometime before noon.

Megeney has been in Afghanistan since Dec. 8 as part of the militia with the Nova Scotia Highlanders.

Lisa Megeney said her brother was excited to be going to the war-torn country, despite fears amongst family members that he might be injured.

"He said that he was going to help people," she said. "He wanted to turn things around, so the Afghanis could live like we live.... He took so much pride in it."

News of the incident broke as the Canadian military is expected to announce that a large group of reservists from Western Canada will be deployed to Afghanistan to compensate for a troop shortfall.

Reservists serve either in full-time or part-time position within the Canadian forces. Currently, there are 400 to 600 reservists in Afghanistan.

Since 2002, 44 Canadian soldiers and a diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan.