A 20-year-old active-duty Marine based in Beaufort, South Carolina, was shot and killed outside a Georgia apartment complex on Sunday, according to police.
Pvt. Anahitdeep S. Sandhu was shot several times and found on the walkway in front of one of the King Villas apartments in Perry, Georgia, according to the Perry Police Department. He was pronounced dead in a nearby hospital emergency room.
Sandhu, an aviation ordnance Marine from Kent, Washington, was assigned to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, according to Marine 1st Lt. Sam Stephenson.
The squadron is currently conducting training in Idaho, Stephenson said, and the Marine was on liberty at the time of his death.
“Pvt. Sandhu was a part of the unit’s remain behind element back in Beaufort, (South Carolina)," Stephenson told Marine Corps Times.
Police Capt. Heath Dykes told Marine Corps Times on Wednesday that the Marine came to the area with another Marine who was from there. It appears the Marines were crashing with friends at the apartment complex, he said. Sandhu has no connections to the area.
Twenty-five year old Quavion Shaquil Rountree was arrested in a blighted house in east Macon’s Fort Hill neighborhood early Tuesday, according to police. He has been charged with murder.
Rountree was unemployed and living at the Perry apartments, according to the Macon Telegraph. It is unclear if the men knew each other.
Sandhu had no deployments, according to the Marine Corps, and his medals and decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
“Our deepest condolences are with Private Anahitdeep Sandhu’s family, friends and fellow VMFA(AW)-224 Marines and Sailors. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time," Lt. Col. Joshua Pieczonka, commanding officer of Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, said in an emailed statement. "The command’s priority is to take care of this Marine’s family and affected fellow Marines and Sailors.”
Perry is located in central Georgia, south of Macon and not far from the Air Force’s Warner Robins base and aircraft logistics complex.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information should contact detective Matt Cota at 478-988-2848 or police Capt. Heath Dykes at 478-988-2822.
"The main thing we’re trying to focus on is ― what would have provoked somebody to do this? Why him?” Dykes told Fox 24 on Monday.
Andrea Scott is editor of Marine Corps Times. On Twitter: @_andreascott.
Andrea Scott is editor of Marine Corps Times.
