ALBUQUERQUE – A New Mexico soldier killed in eastern Afghanistan is being remembered for his bravery.
The U.S. Department of Defense on Sunday identified 28-year-old Sgt. Antonio Rey Rodriguez of Las Cruces as one of two servicemen who died during a combat operation.
Rodriguez and 28-year-old Sgt. Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, of San Antonio, Texas, were fatally wounded in Nangarhar Province on Saturday, according to a department news release.
Both men were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The incident remains under investigation. Six others were wounded in what the U.S. military said was an insider attack. An Afghan dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire on the group. Afghanistan’s defense ministry said an Afghan soldier was also killed and three wounded in the assault.
Rodriguez was posthumously promoted to Sgt. 1st Class and awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
Born in Las Cruces, Rodriguez enlisted soon after graduating high school in 2009.
In a tweet, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said her prayers were with his family.
“He served his country proudly & selflessly – his sacrifice will not be forgotten,” she wrote.
