3 sailors from the USS George Washington took their own lives within a week

A Sailor aboard the USS George Washington in Virginia fatally shot himself last week – reportedly the third Sailor assigned to the ship to take his own life this month and the seventh this year.

Master-at-Arms seaman recruit Xavier Hunter Mitchell-Sandor died April 15 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner Office confirmed, the United States Navy Institute News reported.

Naval Criminal Investigation officials would not confirm if Mitchell-Sandor was on duty at the time or if he had been using a service weapon. No further details about the incident have been released while the investigation is ongoing.

“NCIS is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances of the death of MASR Xavier Mitchell-Sandor, as we do in response to all non-combat, medically unattended deaths of Department of Navy personnel,” spokesman Jeff Houston told USNI News in an opinion.

According to the Navy, Mitchell-Sandor was found unresponsive aboard the ship. He was transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, where he was pronounced dead.

Mitchell-Sandor, who reportedly turned himself in in August, was the third soldier assigned to the ship to commit suicide in a week.

According to USNI News, Mika’il Sharp, Retail Services Specialist, Class 3, took his own life on April 9, followed by Natasha Huffman, Indoor Communications Electrician, Class 3, on April 10.

A fourth sailor died by suicide in December, the outlet reported. Seven Sailors assigned to the USS George Washington have died in the past 12 months.

“We can confirm a total of seven service member deaths assigned to the USS George Washington in the past 12 months — 4 in 2021 and 3 in 2022,” said Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesman Lt. Robert Myers told USNI News in a statement.

“The circumstances of these incidents vary and it is premature to speculate as some incidents are still under investigation.”

The carrier is docked at Newport News Shipbuilding for maintenance in the final phase of a five-year overhaul.