SoCal Soldier Allegedly Stages Shooting to Avoid Return to Iraq

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,332832,00.html

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. — A soldier trying to avoid redeployment to Iraq had a friend shoot him in the leg and then claimed he'd been wounded in a holdup, authorities said.

Army Pfc. Matthew John Myers, 20, of Apple Valley, limped into a minimart about 9:30 p.m. Sunday and reported he had been walking on a golf course when a gunman stole his wallet and military identification and shot him in the right thigh, authorities said.

A helicopter search failed to find a robber and San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies became suspicious of the story because they could not find a blood trail or any shell casings and Myers could not describe the attacker.

Also, Myers "had stated that he was walking alone when the suspect came up and shot him, then ran away," sheriff's Sgt. Todd Newton said. "But when deputies went back to investigate they found two sets of footprints that had been walking side by side for some time."

"We were out looking for the suspect, and things just weren't adding up," sheriff's spokeswoman Trish Hill said.

Myers was questioned and finally told investigators that a friend, Daniel Dotterrer, 20, shot him with a .32-caliber revolver so that he could avoid returning to Iraq, Newton said.