Army veteran who died during Pulse shooting honored on Memorial Day

An Army veteran who was killed during the mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse was honored Monday with a Memorial Day tribute.

State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith recorded retired U.S. Army Spc. Joshua Pixomatis standing at attention and placing a placard at the site for Army Reserve Capt. Antonio Davon Brown.

Brown was known among his fellow troops for his smile and unwavering spirit. The 30-year-old served an 11-month tour in Kuwait during the Iraq War in 2010 and was promoted to captain in 2012. He was a highly decorated soldier whose awards included a Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, and the National Defense Service Medal. In 2016, he lived in Orlando and worked at Lowe’s as a human resources manager.

On June 12, 2016, he went to Pulse to have fun with a friend. Brown and 48 other people were killed by a gunman who shot up the club in those early morning hours.

After Brown’s death, then Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the attack in Orlando was a cowardly assault on the freedoms that Brown had devoted his life to protect.

“Capt. Antonio Davon Brown served his country for nearly a decade, stepping forward to do the noblest thing a young person can do, which is to protect others,” Carter said in a statement. “His service both at home and overseas gave his fellow Americans the security to dream their dreams and live full lives.”

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This article appears in May 23-29, 2018.