Army Identifies 2 Paratroopers Who Were Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Bomb Attack

Sgt. Jonathon Hunter, 23, of Columbus, Ind., and Spc. Christopher Harris, 25, of Jackson Springs, N.C. were killed near Kandahar.
The two young soldiers who were killed in an Afghanistan suicide bombing this week have been identified.
The Pentagon said Thursday that Sgt. Jonathon Hunter, 23, and Spc. Christopher Harris, 25, were killed near Kandahar on Aug. 2.
Watch: Navy Dad Surprises His Kids at School After Coming Home From Afghanistan
Both paratroopers were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Harris was from Jackson Springs, N.C., just an hour's drive from his post.
Col. Toby Magsig, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat team, said the brigade is "deeply saddened" by the loss of Hunter and Harris.
"Spc. Christopher Harris was an extraordinary young man and a phenomenal Paratrooper," Col. Magsig said. "He regularly displayed the type of courage, discipline, and empathy that the Nation expects from its warriors."
Hunter, the son of an Army veteran, hailed from Columbus, Ind.
Both men were on their first deployment.
"He had been there 32 days. I'm former military, me and his uncle both, so we know the dangers," Hunter's father, Mark Hunter, told The Associated Press.
Mr. Hunter said his son had recently gotten married.
"Jonathon loved his unit and serving his country and was excited about the opportunity to go to Afghanistan to do his part in fighting injustice," the family said in a statement.
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana released a statement Thursday.
Watch: Mom Can't Stop Screaming When Army Son Surprises Her at Home After 4 Years
Donnelly said, “I am saddened to hear that Columbus native, Jonathon Michael Hunter, has been killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. His service and sacrifice in defense of our country will never be forgotten. My prayers and condolences go to his family, friends, fellow soldiers and the entire Columbus community."
The Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
Watch: Stranger Buys Plane Ticket So Soldier Can Go Home to His Family Over Memorial Day Weekend
Trending on Inside Edition

Trump Invokes Fifth Amendment in New York Civil Fraud Probe as New Details Emerge About FBI Raid at Mar-a-Lago
Politics
Maverick the Dog Helps Find a Missing Child in North Carolina
Animals
Videos Show Teens How to Steal Certain Kias And Hyundais With Only a USB Cable, Police Warn Amid Rising Thefts
Investigative
New York Man Killed in Freak Accident at a Town Trash Transfer Station
News
Who Killed Jared Bridegan? 2-Year-Old Girl Is the Only Witness to Dad's Gruesome Murder
Crime