By Associated Press - Sunday, November 4, 2018

NORTH OGDEN, Utah (AP) - The Latest on a Utah city mayor killed during an attack in Afghanistan while he was serving with the state’s National Guard (all times local):

2 p.m.

The remains of Utah mayor who was also a major in the Utah Army National Guard and killed in Afghanistan are scheduled to arrive Monday evening at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Authorities say funeral plans still are pending for 39-year-old Brent Taylor.

Officials say he was training commandos in Afghanistan and died when a member of the Afghan security forces shot him on Saturday.

Taylor had taken a yearlong leave of absence from his job as the mayor of the Utah city of North Ogden for his deployment to Afghanistan.

He was a military intelligence officer with Joint Force Headquarters and was expected to return to his mayor’s job in January.

Taylor leaves behind a wife and seven children.

____

12:45 p.m.

Military officials say a major in Utah’s Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces.

They say Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces.

U.S. military officials say another military member whose name has not been made public was wounded during the attack.

The 39-year-old Taylor was on a one-year leave of absence from his job as mayor of North Ogden for his deployment to Afghanistan. He was scheduled to return in January.

Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, the adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, told reporters Sunday that Taylor’s mission was to help train and build the capacity of the Afghan national army.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says Taylor loved the people of Afghanistan and was there to help.

__

8:30 a.m.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says he is heartbroken the death of North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor during an attack in Afghanistan while he was serving with the state’s National Guard.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Taylor died Saturday in an apparent “insider attack” in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

Herbert in a statement says Taylor gave “the ultimate sacrifice” and was a “brave and selfless soldier.”

U.S. military officials say another service member whose name hasn’t been released is being treated for wounds sustained in the attack.

Additional information is scheduled to be released later Sunday at a news conference with Herbert and Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, the adjutant general of the Utah National Guard.

The 39-year-old Taylor deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty.

He previously served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.

Taylor in 2013 became mayor of North Ogden, a city of about 17,000 people 46 miles (74 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City.

____

1 a.m.

Authorities say the mayor of a Utah city has been killed during an attack in Afghanistan while he was serving with the state’s National Guard.

North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor died Saturday in an apparent “insider attack” in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

U.S. military officials say another U.S. service member whose name hasn’t been released is being treated for wounds sustained in the attack.

But Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer J. Cox wrote on his Facebook page that Taylor has been killed.

The 39-year-old Taylor was deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Utah National Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty.

He previously served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.

Taylor in 2013 became mayor of North Ogden, a city of about 17,000 people 46 miles (74 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide