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Edwards bids farewell to wingman, police officer, friend
Posted 9/22/2010 Updated 9/24/2010 
by Stephen K. Robinson
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office
9/22/2010 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Staff Sgt. Brian M. Carragher was remembered at a memorial service Sept. 22 for his easy smile, quick wit and infectious laugh, and as one who personified the Airman's ethos and served his country honorably at home and abroad.
The base theater, where the service was held, was nearly filled to capacity with family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and law enforcement officers from many miles away.
Sergeant Carragher was a military working dog handler assigned to the 95th Security Forces Squadron who was shot Sept. 18 near his home in California City. He was medevaced to Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster where he was pronounced dead.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by Brian's passing," said Col. Gregory E. Schwab, 95th Air Base Wing commander. "He personified the Airman's ethos and served his country proudly and humbly, both stateside and overseas."
Sergeant Carragher was a military working dog handler and trainer at the more than 308,000-acre Edwards AFB where he provided critical explosive and drug detection duties.
"Brian will be sorely missed, and we are going to do all we can to support his family during this difficult time," Colonel Schwab said.
The seven-year veteran entered the Air Force in May 2003 and completed basic training and the security forces technical training course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
An attendee who wished to remain unidentified, said, "I went to dog handling school at Lackland with Brian, and while he was a fun-loving guy and enjoyed what he did, he always loved his family above all. Jackie and his daughters were who he lived life for."
Sergeant Carragher was a multi-deployment Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran where he served on patrol with his military working dog, Eddy.
"Because of his age, Eddy was to soon be retired, and Sergeant Carragher was going to adopt him as he was Sergeant Carragher's first-deployment dog," said Army veterinarian, Capt. Andrea M. Winkel.
Sergeant Carragher was an elite gate guard, installation entry controller, response force leader and weapon's storage area supervisor. He provided police services, weapons systems security and base defense for nuclear and non-nuclear munitions storage areas. He managed post assignments, temporary deployments, critical certifications and proper utilization of personnel and weapons during times of peace, contingencies and war. He was also responsible for supervising and providing guidance in matters of leadership, military justice, customs and courtesies and career progression.
During his remarks, colleague and fellow military police officer, Senior Airman Scott Whritenour said, "Brian was an easygoing, unpretentious person, who treated everyone fairly. He was known for his jovial and sunny disposition, his easy smile, an infectious laugh, quick wit and an unaffected sense of humor."
Sergeant Carragher also served at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.
An immediate relative of Sergeant Carragher's said, "Brian was a loving and devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend who will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him."
Sergeant Carragher was born Jan. 22, 1981 in Fullerton, Calif., to Michael and Rebecca Carragher. He attended school in San Bernardino County, Calif., where he graduated from Silverado High School in Victorville in 1999.
A public viewing is scheduled for Sept. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Halley-Olsen-Murphy Funeral Home at 44802 N. Date Ave., Lancaster, with internment to be at 1 p.m. Sept. 25 at Victor Valley Memorial Park at 15609 11th Street, Victorville, Calif.
He is survived by his wife of five years, Jackie, and twin four-year-old daughters Maddison and Hayley, his parents, his brother Jason and Sister Danielle.
Sergeant Carragher's death is under investigation by the California City Police Department and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation.
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Autopsy shows Air Force staff sergeant shot in the back, police confirm
BY STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writer
[email protected] | Wednesday, Sep 22 2010 04:21 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Sep 22 2010 04:21 PM
An autopsy showed Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Carragher was shot three times in the back and once in the back of his upper right arm Saturday night when he was killed, California City police confirmed Wednesday.
Recovered shell casings show five shots were fired at 29-year-old Carragher in front of his home on Walpole Avenue, Police Chief Steve Colerick said.
The man charged with shooting Carragher is 26-year-old Timothy Aaron Atkins, an Army serviceman who just returned after his second tour in Iraq, police said.
Atkins had gone over to Carragher's home to talk to Brooke Youngo, the former girlfriend of Atkins who with her new boyfriend, Matthew Pearman, was renting space in Carragher's house, police said.
Carragher told Atkins to leave, went back inside his home and then came out a second time to tell him again, Colerick said. It was on the second time that Atkins reached inside his pickup truck, pulled out a gun and shot Carragher as Carragher's back was to him, the chief said.
Atkins admitted the shooting and getting the gun out of his truck, police have said.
Colerick said he did not know why Atkins felt he had to shoot Carragher. The victim, a police officer and dog handler for the Air Force, had also recently returned from a second tour in Iraq, police said.
Carragher's family said he re-enlisted and had planned to make a career in the Air Force.
Atkins is being held in jail in lieu of posting $1.5 million bail. His arraignment is scheduled Sept. 29. His family declined to talk to reporters Tuesday when he made his first court appearance.
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From Daily Press:
Silverado graduate, airman killed in California City shooting
September 23, 2010 3:13 PM
CALIFORNIA CITY • A Silverado High School graduate and U.S. Air Force airman was shot and killed in front of his California City home, according to officials.
Brian M. Carragher, 29, died Saturday night and 26-year-old Timothy Aaron Atkins is behind bars for Carragher’s murder, according to California City Police officials.
Carragher graduated from Silverado High School in 1999 and then joined the military.
The 29-year-old staff sergeant was a military working dog handler assigned to the 95th Security Forces Squadron and was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, according to a release from the military base.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by Brian’s passing,” said Col. Gregory Schwab, the 95th Air Base Wing commander in the release. “He personified the Airman’s ethos and served his country proudly and humbly, both here and overseas.”
Carragher’s death is under investigation by the California City Police Department and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation.
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Air Force staff sergeant shot dead in California City
BY GRETCHEN WENNER, Californian staff writer
[email protected] | Sunday, Sep 19 2010 06:49 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Sep 19 2010 07:27 PM
Images:
 Profile photo on Brian Carragher's Facebook page.
An Air Force staff sergeant was shot to death in front of his California City home Saturday evening, officials reported, and another California City man remained in jail Sunday night charged with first-degree murder.
Staff Sgt. Brian Michael Carragher, 29, was shot in front of his home in the 8900 block of Walpole Avenue shortly after 5:30 p.m., according to reports from the California City Police Department and the Kern County Coroner's office. Police found him bleeding severely in the street. Carragher was airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital and pronounced dead there about an hour later.
The suspect, 26-year-old Timothy Aaron Atkins, fled the scene, police say. Officers later found his vehicle in the 20300 block of 87th Street and arrested him without incident. The suspected murder weapon, a 9mm semi-automatic, was recovered. Atkins was in jail in downtown Bakersfield Sunday evening without bail.
Carragher was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base.
A news release posted on the air base's official website said Carragher was a military working dog handler assigned to the 95th Security Forces Squadron.
"We are shocked and saddened by Brian's passing," said Col. Gregory Schwab, 95th Air Base Wing commander, in the release. "He personified the Airman's ethos and served his country proudly and humbly, both here and overseas."
The case is being investigated by California City police and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Carragher and his wife, Jackie, bought the home on Walpole Drive around October 2009, property records show. Brian Carragher had filed for divorce last Thursday, online court records show.
Some of the hundreds of friends on Carragher's Facebook page had already updated their profiles to feature an image of an Air Force security forces badge overlaid with the text, "RIP SSgt Brian Carragher."
Carragher's family could not be reached for comment Sunday. His facebook page says he graduated from Victorville's Silverado High School in 1999.
California City police said the motive for the shooting is still under investigation. It is the city's fourth homicide in the last 10 months.
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