Survivor Safah Yunis Salim Rasif – through an interpreter – claims a Marine threw a grenade into the room and closed the door. (snip) After the shooting she passed out and remembers pretending she was dead when some Marines came into the room. She heard a Marine say “they are all dead”. When the Marines left, she went to her uncle’s house.
She made claims "through an interpreter", but heard and apparently understood a Marine's alleged statement, “they are all dead”. So, did this Iraqi know English or didn't she?
SSgt Wuterich then went to the damaged 4th vehicle where he met 1stLt William Kallop, who arrived with the quick reaction force. While near the 4th vehicle the Marines received small arm fire from the South. Cpl. Hector Salinas identified a shooter in the vicinity of House 1 (as identified in the investigation). He alerted Kallop to seek cover and fired several M203 40mm grenade rounds at House 1. Wuterich then advised Kallop they should assault House 1. Kallop ordered Wuterich to “clear South” toward it.
A Marine Corps officer was on the scene pretty quickly, and he was giving orders. It's curious, and it may be that this fiasco has dragged on so long I'm forgetting things, but I don't remember why 1stLt. William Kallop was given immunity from prosecution right from the very beginning.
Why Lt Kallop wasn't charged is a mystery. The only explanation I ever heard is that his family is connected wealthy and politically connected. Word was his family lawyers pushed back very early on but I never could find any substantiation for that. So it may not be true. But his family's pushback was reported in Vanity Fair magazine.