The grieving father of a 24-year-old U.S. Army sergeant killed during a military training exercise in Texas raised public doubts about his son’s death Wednesday, saying in an emotional TikTok video that his instincts tell him “something is wrong.”
Hem Thapa, speaking in Nepali in a video posted Wednesday, expressed deep anguish over the loss of his son, Sgt. Sunil Thapa, who died June 29 from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the family, just three days before his 24th birthday.
“My son did not die just like that. Something is wrong, something is definitely there,” Thapa said in his native language. “In my son’s death, someone had a hand in it. Someone is involved. I feel something is wrong.”
Thapa clarified that he was not making direct accusations while the family awaits official investigative findings.
“I haven’t seen it. I don’t know, and without the official report, we won’t know for sure. I am not blaming anyone,” he said. “But my son did not die just like that. Something is wrong. I am a father — my soul tells me this. My tears are falling. I feel like I’m going mad. I am shaken. With my son gone, our whole family feels as if we have died too.”
He added, “Whether God sees this or not, my son has died, and I don’t feel he died just like that. Something is amiss. Someone had a hand in it. That is what my soul tells me.”
The father’s video statement came nine days after the funeral of Sunil Thapa. Final rites were held at a funeral home in Wantagh, New York, where family members, friends and community leaders joined Hem Thapa and his wife, Maya Thapa. Following the service, Sgt. Thapa’s remains were transported for cremation, with military honors rendered at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale. The military tribute included a ceremonial rifle salute and “Taps.”
Sgt. Thapa, the youngest son of Hem and Maya Thapa, had recently been promoted and was participating in advanced military training when the fatal shooting occurred, according to family accounts.
The U.S. Army has not publicly confirmed the exact training facility in Texas where the incident occurred, nor has it released details about Sgt. Thapa’s unit assignment or the circumstances of the shooting.
Family members said military officials met with them in New York but offered few details, noting that formal inquiries by the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center could take up to nine months to complete. The family has not yet received the death certificate, death notice or any other documents.
Hem Thapa and Maya Thapa are prominent figures in the local diaspora as co-founders of the Hem & Maya Foundation, a philanthropic organization.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
