(CNN) -- U.S. Army Cpl. Pat Tillman, the former professional football player killed last month in Afghanistan, was probably killed by gunfire from his own unit during an intense firefight, the U.S. Army said Saturday.

"While there was no one specific finding of fault, the investigation indicated that Cpl. Tillman probably died of friendly fire while his unit was in combat with enemy forces," Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger Jr., of the Army's Special Operations Command ,said at a news conference at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

"The results of this investigation in no way diminish the bravery and sacrifice of Cpl. Tillman," Kensinger said. "Cpl. Tillman was shot and killed while responding to enemy fire without regard to his personal safety."

Tillman, who walked away from a $3.6 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals two years ago to serve in the military, was posthumously awarded a Silver Star on April 30.

"There is an inherent danger of confusion in any firefight particularly when a unit is ambushed, especially under difficult light and terrain environment," Kensinger said.

Tillman, 27, was shot and killed April 22 during a ground convoy assault not far from Khowst, Afghanistan, near the eastern border with Pakistan. Two other coalition soldiers were wounded in the ambush and an Afghan militia force soldier was killed.

The firefight in which Tillman died began about 7:30 p.m. when 10 to 20 ambushers attacked the convoy with mortars and small arms. Tillman's team had already passed the point of attack, but turned back to help, diving into an intensive battle that lasted about 20 minutes.

A statement announcing the Silver Star said that Tillman directed his team to return fire against the fighters, who had attacked from higher ground.

It said that because of Tillman's leadership and his team's efforts, the trail section of the convoy "was able to maneuver through the ambush to positions of safety without a single casualty."

Tillman was a member of A Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Fort Lewis, Washington.

His brother, Kevin, trained with him and served in the same unit.

Pat Tillman, the pro football player inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks to join the Army, apparently was killed by friendly fire when a fellow soldier mistakenly identified an Afghan fighter accompanying Tillman as the enemy and started shooting, senior defense officials said yesterday.

The Army said Tillman's April 22 death in Afghanistan did not appear to result from enemy fire as originally reported. The announcement did not cite mistaken identity as the cause; that was later described by a senior defense official.

The Army has closed the investigation without a specific finding of fault but said the "probable" cause of Tillman's death was friendly fire.

Tillman walked away from an NFL contract worth millions and joined the Army after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, along with his brother Kevin.

To some, including Vietnam veteran and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Tillman, 27, had become the embodiment of courage and patriotism. Army officials insisted yesterday that the circumstances of his death didn't change that.

"The result of this investigation in no way diminished the bravery and sacrifice displayed by Corporal Tillman," Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger Jr. of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command told reporters in a prepared statement. "He focused his efforts on the elimination of enemy forces and the protection of his team members."

Tillman's elite Army Ranger platoon was ambushed by 10 to 12 enemy fighters firing small arms and mortars at about 7:30 p.m. near Khost, in southeastern Afghanistan, Kensinger said. Enemy fire was coming from several directions for about 20 minutes, within very rugged and hard-to-maneuver terrain and in low light, he said.

Tillman's platoon was accompanied by Afghan army forces. At one point, Tillman climbed out of his combat vehicle to fire back at enemy positions.

As the firefight raged on, "a fellow Ranger looks over and sees an Afghan military member, and they think they're an enemy and take them under fire," said one senior defense official. "You can imagine how crazy, how absolutely confusing the situation is."

In the ensuing fire, both Tillman and an Afghan working with his platoon were killed, this official said.

In awarding Tillman the Silver Star for valor, the Army previously said his platoon had been split into two sections during a combat patrol. The award announcement said Tillman led his team up a hill to fire back at the enemy.

Tillman's group had been safely out of the area when the trailing group came under mortar and small arms fire, according to the Army, and he ordered them to return.

"Through the firing, Tillman's voice was heard issuing fire commands to take the fight to the enemy on the dominating high ground," the award announcement said. "Only after his team engaged the well-armed enemy did it appear their fires diminished."

As a result of his combat leadership and his troops' efforts, the platoon's rear maneuvered out of harm's way without any casualties, the announcement said. Tillman had acted "without regard for his own safety," according to the announcement.

Kensinger said, "There is an inherent degree of confusion in any firefight, particularly when a unit is ambushed, and especially under difficult light and terrain conditions which produces an environment that increases the likelihood of fratricide," as the military calls friendly fire.

An Afghan military official told The Associated Press Saturday that Tillman died due to a "misunderstanding" when two mixed groups of American and Afghan soldiers that had drifted apart began firing wildly in the confusion following an explosion, but that there were no enemy forces present. A second defense official strongly disputed that contention, standing by the ambush explanation.

Tillman, a member of the Ranger unit since 2002, was posthumously promoted from specialist to corporal and also awarded a Purple Heart. A woman who answered the phone late Friday at the home of Tillman's uncle said the family had no immediate comment.

Thats a horrible source. I am ashamed of myself. I chose CNN because it's a right wing outlet so it wouldn't get shrugged off... but man, they half-assed that story.

THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE HIS LOVE IS TO WATCH FOX NEWS AND VOTE REPUBLICAN

It is?