It is completely heartbreaking when a recruit dies in training. In March, Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim Marine recruit from Michigan, died at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island when he flung himself off a forty-foot high stairwell. The cause of death was blunt force trauma. It has been ruled a suicide.

To date several officers and senior enlisted have been relieved of duty, and up to twenty more Marines may be punished in this incident. Investigations into hazing recruit abuse are ongoing, and many are saying that hazing led to this incident. Just prior to Siddiqui’s jump, he was being made to run up and down the squad bay. When he fell to the deck and appeared unresponsive, the drill instructor is said to have slapped him up to three times. At that point Siddiqui got up, ran through the squad bay and jumped to his death.