Ex-firearms instructor admits ‘grossly negligent’ conduct in reservist’s death

A former civilian firearms instructor who fatally shot a reservist soldier during training will plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter, court documents. say. A soldier shoots a SIG Sauer M17 pistol during weapons qualification training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., on June 3, 2026. An M17 pistol was involved in the March shooting death of Pfc. Krystofer Lopez during firearms training at Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania. (Seth Cohen/U.S. Army) A former civilian firearms instructor at an Army base in Pennsylvania who fatally shot a reservist soldier during training earlier this year will plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter, according to court documents released this week. Sean Stark, 38, was charged in the death of Spc.

Krystofer Lopez, 18, at Letterkenny Army Depot on March 12, the Justice Department said Monday. Prosecutors simultaneously filed an agreement with Stark to waive his right to indictment by a grand jury and plead guilty to the felony charge. Stark acknowledged in the agreement that his conduct leading to Lopez’s death was “grossly negligent” and carried out “with reckless disregard for human life,” according to documents filed Monday in federal court in Harrisburg. The Army Criminal Investigation Division did not immediately respond to a request for an incident report or other information regarding its investigation into Lopez’s death. Lopez was posthumously promoted to the rank of