Officials find body of Texas Army National Guard soldier who attempted to help drowning migrants

EAGLE PASS, Texas — The body of a Texas Army National Guard member was found Monday after the soldier went missing during an attempt to rescue migrants who were drowning, officials said.

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Rep. Tony Gonzales confirmed to KENS that the body of Specialist Bishop E. Evans, 22, had been found after a weekend search.

Evans went missing on Friday morning after jumping into the Rio Grande river along the U.S.-Mexico border in a rescue attempt, The Associated Press reported. The section of the river is known for its strong currents.

Dive teams and airboats from the Texas Department of Public Safety helped with the search over the weekend, according to a Texas Military Department news release. Gov. Greg Abbott also tweeted about the search over the weekend.

On Monday, Abbott released a statement, saying he was heartbroken to learn of the death of Evans. “Our National Guard soldiers risk their lives every day to serve and protect others and we are eternally grateful for the way SPC Evans heroically served his state and country,” Abbott said.

Evans joined the Texas Army National Guard in May 2019 after taking part in Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait, according to a Texas Military Department statement. He was assigned to Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, known as Operation Lone Star, The Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol took the two migrants into custody, The Associated Press reported. Texas Rangers said the pair were involved in “illicit transnational narcotics trafficking,” according to the KSAT report.

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