Authorities Identify National Guard Soldier That Went Missing At The Border

The Texas Military Department (TMD) identified the soldier who went missing at the U.S.-Mexico border as Texas Army National Guard Specialist Bishop E. Evans, 22.

Authorities began searching for Evans on Friday when he went missing after rescuing two migrants who appeared to be drowning in the Rio Grande river in Eagle Pass, Texas, according to the TMD. Evans’ family was notified Friday evening.

“SPC Evans, 22, a field artilleryman from Arlington, Texas is assigned to A Battery, 4-133 Field Artillery Regiment in New Braunfels Texas, and joined the Texas Army National Guard in May 2019. He returned in the fall of 2020 from mobilization to Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait. During this mobilization, his dedication, talents, and tactical prowess led his leadership to regularly assign him to operations in Iraq in support of Special Operations Forces for short periods of time, while then rotating back into Kuwait,” TMD said in a statement.

The Texas Rangers determined that the two migrants, who were taken into Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody, were involved in drug trafficking, according to the TMD.

The search, involving local and federal law enforcement, is ongoing and has had to pause at times due to strong currents.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated Texas national and state guard soldiers, sending them to the border as part of “Operation Lone Star,” which began in March 2021.