Dad Of Slain Soldier Wants Answers

Between customers, Pensacola barber Darryl Mathis reads the newspaper and and watches television to get information about his son's death.
Mathis' 24-year old son, Staff Sgt. Darris Dawson, was killed at his patrol base in Iraq Sunday. Military officials say Dawson wasn't killed in combat...he was killed by another U-S soldier. The mourning father says the Department of Defense never told him exactly how his son died.

"It's just unbelievable that someone else would get it before I did, it's just devastating, "says Mathis. "It's very hurtful to read about it or watch it on television when I haven't gotten any information."

Dawson was known as a loving father and a respectful son. The former Escambia High School basketball star loved his military career.

"We know he was in a dangerous area," says Mathis. "But to not know what happened over there is the most puzzling and most hurtful part of this. To just get bits and pieces from the media, it's just not right."

Another U-S solider was also killed in the incident. The soldier accused in the shooting has been detained and is awaiting a military court hearing.