Soldier's parents say shooting death was not an accident
Staff Sargeant Amy Seyboth Tirador was a '98 Colonie HS grad
COLONIE -- Gerard Seyboth of Colonie says his daughter's most recent assignment in Iraq made her "a high profile target", pointing out she worked in intelligence gathering as an Arabic-speaking interrogator and translator.
Tirador's mother, Colleen Murphy said she would not speculate on exactly what happened to her daughter but she said he death was no accident and was not suicide, saying her daughter was shot in the back of the head. Seyboth said it happened inside a military base.
According to a brief statement from the military, Staff Sargeant Amy Seyboth Tirador died of "non-combat related injuries" in Kirkush, Iraq last Wednesday. Seyboth and Murphy say when they went to Dover Air Force Base, where their daughter's body was returned, they were briefed by two generals.
"They're not giving out anything until they're absolutely sure," says Murphy. "We don't want it until it's absolutely sure."
Tirador graduated Colonie Central High School in 1998. She went on to become a medic and served as a medic on her first tour in Iraq. For her second tour, her parents say she learned Arabic.
Gerard Seyboth says his daughter told them she was going back for another tour after she made the committment, something they say she knew they would be reluctant about.
"I sorta figured, 'You got away with it one time, why push your luck?', says Seyboth. "But that never bothered Amy."
"What she asked for was our support and that's what she got," says Murphy. "Right now that's what she needs is support and honor and for the people not to forget this goes on every single day. I'd like to see everybody join us in placing a flag in their house, on their lawn in honor of all the soldiers."
