Report: S. Florida soldier fought to the end

Army Sgt. La David Johnson died in a hail of gunfire, fighting to the death after fleeing militants who had just killed three comrades in an ambush in Niger.

WASHINGTON — Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson died in a hail of gunfire, hit as many as 18 times as he took cover in thick brush, fighting to the end after fleeing militants who had killed three comrades in an October ambush in Niger, The Associated Press has learned.

A military investigation has concluded that Johnson wasn’t captured alive or executed at close range, dispelling a swirl of rumors about how he died.

The report has determined that Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Fla., was killed by enemy rifle and machine gun fire from members of an Islamic State offshoot, according to U.S. officials familiar with the findings. The Oct. 4 ambush took place about 120 miles north of Niamey, the nation’s capital. Johnson’s body was recovered two days later.

U.S. officials familiar with the findings spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to describe details of an investigation that has not been finalized or publicly released.

A 12-member Army Special Forces unit was accompanying 30 Nigerien troops when they were attacked in a densely wooded area by as many as 50 militants traveling by vehicle and carrying small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Johnson was struck by a volley of as many as 18 rounds fired from a distance, according to the U.S. officials, who said he was firing back as he and two Nigerien soldiers tried to escape.

Four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops were killed in the ambush. Two U.S. and eight Nigerien troops were wounded.

The bodies of three U.S. Green Berets but not Johnson’s were located on the day of the attack. The gap in time led to questions about whether Johnson was killed in the assault and not found, or if he was taken away by the militants.

According to the officials, a medical examination concluded that Johnson was hit by fire from M-4 rifles — probably stolen by the insurgents — and Soviet-made heavy machine guns. It is believed he died in the attack.

The officials said Johnson was found under thick scrub brush where he tried to take cover. There were no indications he was shot at close range, or had been bound or taken prisoner, as several media reports have suggested.

An investigation team led by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier visited locations in Niger to collect evidence and information about the attack. A final report is expected to be released next month.

The officials familiar with the report’s conclusions said that during the attack, Johnson and two Nigerien soldiers tried to get to a vehicle to escape, but were unable to do so, became separated from the others and were shot as they were running for safety.

The report concluded that Johnson, who was athletic and a runner, was in the lead and got the farthest away, seeking cover in the brush.

Officials said there were a number of enemy shells around Johnson and evidence that he appeared to fight to the end. His boots and other equipment were later stolen, but he was still wearing his uniform.

As news of the ambush came out, the U.S. military sent in rescue teams to search for Johnson, not making his status public in the hope he might have gotten away and was still alive and hiding.

The Pentagon only acknowledged that he was missing after local forces located his body two days later.

The Pentagon has declined to release details about the mission of the commando team. U.S. officials have said that the U.S.-Niger patrol had been asked to assist a second American commando team hunting for a senior Islamic State member.

The team had been asked to go to a location where the insurgent had last been seen and collect intelligence. After completing that mission, the troops stopped in a village for a short time to get food and water, then left.

The U.S. military believes someone in the village may have tipped off attackers to the presence of U.S. commandos and Nigerien forces in the area.

U.S. special operations forces have been routinely working with Niger’s forces, helping them to improve their abilities to fight extremists in the region. That effort has increased in recent years, the Pentagon said.

The three other Americans killed were Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Ga.