Seven members of the Navy SEAL Team 7’s Alpha Platoon reportedly tried to raise the alarm on alleged war crimes committed by Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, but superiors discouraged them from speaking out. According to The New York Times, the SEALs said they witnessed Gallagher commit shocking acts in 2017—including stabbing a teen to death, killing a little girl by sniper fire, and spraying neighborhoods with machine gun fire with no clear target. After their allegations were brushed off multiple times, the members called a meeting with a troop commander and his aide—Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch and Master Chief Petty Officer Brian Alazzawi—in March 2018. During the meeting, Breisch allegedly told them they were free to report Gallagher but warned their careers might suffer because of it. The SEALs eventually took their concerns to outside authorities, and now Gallagher is facing a court-martial.

Gallagher was arrested in September on over a dozen charges, including premeditated and attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty and denied all charges.