All Four Marines Killed In Chattanooga Officially Identified

Semper Fi, Brothers

THE TENNESSEAN
By Natalie Neysa Alund and Matt Slovin

07/18/2015

The U.S. Marine Corps on Friday afternoon officially confirmed the identity of all four Marines killed during a mass shooting in Chattanooga.

They are: Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt of Burke, N.C.; Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of Hampden,, Mass; Lance Cpl. Squire K Wells of Cobb Ga., and Sgt. Carson Holmquist of Polk, Wis., according to a statement issued in connection to their deaths on Thursday.

"David was a great person with a contagious, fun loving and caring personality," Wyatt's family friend, Jenna Apps, told The Tennessean Friday.

Apps said she and her husband met Wyatt and his wife Lorri Wyatt in 2007 when Apps' husband and David Wyatt were stationed in the military in Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County. The families were neighbors, she said.

During a Friday morning vigil in Chattanooga, a woman who identified herself as both Wyatt's neighbor in Chattanooga and a University of Tennessee Chattanooga employee said Wyatt's home was packed with visitors on Thursday.

"There were seven or eight cars there last night. I thought they were having a party. It didn't go through my mind," said another neighbor, Antony Madakcherry, who lives in the 400 block Kingsridge Dr.

His wife, Sophya Madakacherry, said she often saw two of his children playing in the front yard of the family's home.

Another neighbor, who declined to give her name, began to tear up after learning of Wyatt's death. She said that Wyatt seemed like a nice man.

An American flag hangs outside the Wyatt home, and a deputy from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office guarded the residence Friday morning.

Meanwhile, friends and family of Wyatt flooded social media with condolences.

"There is no sleep tonight," a family member posted on Wyatt family members Facebook page late Thursday night.

"None," Lorri Wyatt responded in a subsequent post on her page filled with condolences.

Another post read, "My heart aches for you and your kids. There are no words. You are in my thought and prayers."

Casey Pearce, manager of media information for the St. Louis Rams, tweeted he knew Wyatt in high school.

"Heartbroken to learn one of the Marines killed in Chatt. yesterday was a hs classmate of mine. Thank you David Wyatt for your service #RIP."

The mayor's office in Springfield, Mass. identified Sullivan as one of the Marines killed and said he grew up in the city.

Mayor Dominic Sarno said in a statement that Sullivan's death is "is a tragic loss not just for the Springfield community but for our entire nation."

Sullivan, one of three children of Jerry and Betty Sullivan, grew up in the East Forest Park section of the city. He graduated Cathedral High School and went on to serve his country in Iraq, Masslive.com reported.

The third Marine killed was identified as Wells, CBS 46 in Atlanta reported.

The station reported Wells attended Georgia State University and had just completed boot camp.

A family friend told CBS 46 that Wells "felt called to serve."

The final Marine killed in the shooting attack was identified as Holmquist, according to WRCB-TV in Chattanooga.

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Posted in: Marine Corps,Marines,U.S. Marines