Evendale Police ask media to avoid contacting family of soldier accused of massacre in Afghanistan

EVENDALE, Ohio - The Evendale Police Department is asking the media to stay away from relatives of the U.S. soldier accused of going on a rampage in Afghanistan.

Army Staff Sergeant is being held at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, after military officials said he shot and killed 16 Afghan civilians while they slept. Nine of the victims were children.

9News has learned Bales is a 1991 graduate of Norwood High School. He also has family still living in the Tri-State.

This prompted  Evendale Police Chief Neil Korte to issue the following statement:
 
The Evendale Police Department is aware of information that a relative of the U.S. solider being investigated for the killing of civilians in Afghanistan may reside in Evendale. It is our belief that identifying the Evendale resident or any member of his immediate family or their addresses may present a threat to their physical safety. In order to mitigate that threat, the Evendale Police Department is requesting that no media outlets broadcast the names or addresses or neighborhoods or any images of these persons or places they believe may be connected to the involved U.S. soldier as doing so may increase the threat to these persons and neighborhoods. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.
 

Stay with 9 News and WCPO.com for more information on this developing story.