The body of Texas Army National Guard Specialist Bishop E. Evans, 22, who was reported missing Friday, was recovered Monday morning.
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, confirmed to that the body was found. The news was first reported by KENS 5 in San Antonio.
“This morning SPC Evans’ body was found and identified by local authorities,” Gonzales said in a written statement. “This young soldier made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of protecting and serving our country. He will never be forgotten.”
Evans, who is from Arlington, went missing after he tried to save two migrants from drowning in the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, the Texas Military Department has said. Eagle Pass is on the border with the Mexican state of Coahuila and is about two hours north of Laredo.
Evans was a member of Mansfield High School’s JROTC drill team, and graduated in 2018, according to Mansfield ISD spokeswoman Lari Barager.
He was a field artilleryman and part of the A Battery, 4-133 Field Artillery Regiment in New Braunfels, according to the Texas Military Department. Evans joined the Texas Army National Guard in May 2019, according to the department, and he served in Kuwait and in Iraq.
SPC. Evans will forever be remembered for the bravery and compassion he showed while saving lives in the Rio Grande. We will make sure this young soldier’s sacrifice will never be forgotten. https://t.co/w4gART2snc
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) April 24, 2022
Evans was at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Operation Lone Star, an initiative launched in March 2021 that Gov. Greg Abbott has described as an effort to stop the flow of migrants from illegally entering the country through the U.S.-Mexico border.
The operation, which has been criticized by civil rights groups and Abbott’s political opponents, involves the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard.
Earlier this month, Abbott announced that he would expand the operation on May 23. He pointed to President Joe Biden’s plans to end Title 42 — a Trump-era policy used to turn away migrants during the coronavirus pandemic.
