Texas Guardsman Drowns After Rescue Try Throughout Border Mission

The physique of a Texas Guardsman on the southern border mission who dove into the Rio Grande River to rescue drowning migrants was discovered Monday morning, the state’s governor’s workplace introduced.

Spc. Bishop Evans, 22, was a discipline artilleryman, assigned to A Battery, 4-133 Subject Artillery Regiment, in New Braunfels, Texas. He joined the Nationwide Guard in Might 2019 and served in Kuwait and Iraq, in line with his service document.

Evans went into the Rio Grande River close to Eagle Cross, Texas, whereas making an attempt to rescue two drowning migrants. The 2 survived and are presently in custody, in line with a press release from the Texas Nationwide Guard.

Learn Subsequent: Air Pressure Normal Discovered Responsible of Forcible Kissing in Historic Ohio Court docket-Martial

The information of Evans’ loss of life comes after a press release from the Texas Nationwide Guard on Friday known as early reviews of the fatality “inaccurate.”

The Rio Grande has turn into a serious, and harmful, crossing level for migrants. On Saturday, dive groups making an attempt to get better Evans’ physique had been compelled to halt their search as a result of river’s robust present.

Final month, two New Hampshire Nationwide Guardsmen went into the river to avoid wasting a drowning migrant with no incident. Nonetheless, Nationwide Guard troopers historically don’t have any swimming or water rescue coaching. Commanders despatched out an order over the weekend to troops in Texas that on no account are they allowed within the river, in line with a message reviewed by Army.com.

“None of our troopers are to get within the river,” the message to troops stated. “None.”

Evans was serving with the Texas Guard’s mission on the U.S.-Mexico border, which has gone on for greater than a yr. That mission, a part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s key efforts to fight unlawful migration into the state, has been plagued with quite a few points for Guardsmen, together with alcohol abuse, reviews of suicides and systemic issues with pay and advantages.

“Our Nationwide Guard troopers threat their lives day-after-day to serve and defend others and we’re eternally grateful for the way in which Spc. Evans heroically served his state and nation,” Abbott stated in a press release.

— Steve Beynon could be reached at Steve.Beynon@army.com. Comply with him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

Associated: Meet the Soldier Working to Unionize Texas Guardsmen Amid Troubled Border Mission

Present Full Article