On June 25, a military magistrate from the United States Army Reserve Command held a pretrial confinement hearing for Staff Sgt. Rashad Valmont under Rule for Court-Martial 305 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in connection with the June 17 shooting death of Master Sgt. Pedro Mercado at Fort Gillem.
USARC had previously announced June 22 that Valmont had been charged with premeditated murder under Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in connection with the death of Mercado.
The military magistrate determined Valmont would remain in pretrial confinement. Mercado died of multiple gunshot wounds June 17 while on duty at the U.S. Army Reserve Center on Fort Gillem. The shooting occurred around 5 p.m.
Both Valmont and Mercado were Army Reserve Soldiers at the time of the shooting, with both holding Active Guard and Reserve status. Mercado served as the NCOIC of the personnel section of the Army Medical Department's Professional Management Command at the U.S. Army Reserve Center on Fort Gillem.
The unit provides centralized management of Army medical personnel nationwide to facilitate recruiting, retention and readiness of Army medical units and personnel. Valmont worked as a human resource specialist assigned to the AMEDD APMC.
The Army's Criminal Investigation Command continues to investigate the incident, and behavioral science counselors and chaplains have met with unit personnel to provide grief counseling and assistance.
Valmont is presumed innocent of any criminal charges unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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