An Army paratrooper stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, died after being shot outside his apartment.
Sgt. Nicholas Bobo, 22, was found by police responding to a call of shots fired at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday. He was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to law enforcement.
Bobo, a native of Cordova, Tennessee, also had his vehicle taken from the Enclave at Pamalee Square, according to the Fayetteville Observer. Police do not believe the shooting was random. No arrests have been made in the shooting death.
Sgt. Nicholas Bobo, 22, of Gordova, Tennessee, was killed Monday night at about 11 p.m., according to Fayetteville police. https://t.co/wkuNxsMaX3
— WBTW News13 (@WBTWNews13) September 17, 2022
The paratrooper was an automated logistical specialist assigned to the 407th Brigade Support Battalion. Bobo leaves behind his wife, daughter, and parents. He joined the Army in 2018 and had been stationed at Fort Bragg since 2019.
His awards and decorations, according to a report by WNCN-TV, include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Parachutist Badge, Driver Mechanic Badge-Driver Wheeled Vehicle, and Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Carbine.
Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Fayetteville Police Department are investigating the incident.
The report comes as the U.S. military is facing an “unprecedented” recruiting crisis under President Joe Biden that has forced it to drastically cut forecasts for the number of new recruits it expects.
The Daily Wire reported that Dr. Mark T. Esper, Secretary of Defense during the Trump administration, said this was “a major issue affecting all the armed services.”
“The answer is NOT lower standards; quality must be paramount,” he wrote on Twitter. “Rather, we need a sustained effort by America’s leaders to inspire our youth to serve. … This is a growing national security issue!”
The news also comes as conflict continues following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other global issues emerging during the Biden administration, including a highly criticized military departure from Afghanistan in August 2021. The final weeks of the exit included a bombing that killed 13 U.S. military members outside of the Kabul airport.
The Kabul bombing became a point of contention again in March when President Joe Biden failed to mention the Fallen 13 during his State of the Union address to Americans.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) blasted Biden over the issue.
“To the 13 American families who lost loved ones in Afghanistan in August, you deserved to be recognized by the President tonight,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter. “Americans remember your sacrifice, and we are forever indebted to you.”