A captain in the U.S. Army Reserve was among the 49 victims killed in Orlando, Florida, Sunday in the deadliest domestic terror attack since 9/11.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter mourned the loss of Capt. Antonio Davon Brown, who served in the military for nearly a decade, in a statement late Tuesday.
"The men and women of the Department of Defense grieve with Capt. Brown’s family and with all of the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. We stand with the people of Orlando and the nation’s LGBT community during this difficult time, and stand in determination to defeat ISIL and prevent the spread of its hateful ideology," said Carter, using an alternate name for terror group ISIS.
Brown, 29, was identified by authorities as one of the 49 individuals killed when gunman Omar Mateen opened fire at the Pulse nightclub, a popular gay club in Orlando, early Sunday morning. Details are continuing to emerge about the gunman’s terror ties; Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS in a 911 call during the attack and was previously investigated by the FBI.
Brown joined the U.S. Army in 2008 after completing the ROTC program at Florida A&M University, the Orlando Sentinel reported. He deployed to Kuwait between April 2010 and March 2011, and was made captain in 2012. Brown later became a human resources officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.
A friend who spoke to the Sentinel described Brown as a "kind, gentle soul."
"He was the most incredible friend," said Elly Bailey, who had dinner with Brown hours before he went to the club. Brown was identified as one of victims on Monday, along with dozens of others killed in the terror attack.
Lt. Col. Kelvin Scott, who taught ROTC at Florida A&M during the time that Brown was there, described him as a "very positive young man" in an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat.
"He kept a smile on his face. He was a very positive person with a very good sense of humor. He was willing to work very hard to earn his commission," Scott recalled.
Brown graduated from the university with a degree in criminal justice in addition to earning a commission as a second lieutenant.