A benefit and silent auction was held Saturday eventing to show support for a Navy SEAL and Fort Wayne native charged of war crimes. 

Special Operations Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher was charged in October with multiple crimes in connection with the 2017 stabbing death of a detainee in Iraq.  He is currently being imprisoned in San Diego. 

Gallagher’s charges are part of a war crimes probe focused on more than a dozen SEALs who deployed to Mosul, Iraq between 2017 and 2018. 

Multiple charities have come to Gallagher’s defense including the Navy SEALs Fund in Ohio.  The Fund put on the benefit Saturday at a house on Autumn Rd.  to raise money for Gallagher and his family.  A silent auction and a raffle were put on during the event.  Donations were also accepted. 

“It’s so heartwarming to see that support.  In cases like this, it’s easy to say lets just wait for an investigation, let’s wait and see what happens.  It takes a lot of courage ot stand up and stand out in front for this American patriot, this American hero and his family,” said Navy SEALs Fund CEO Rachel Dzieran. 

Gallagher’s case is still under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.