SC Army soldier dies in Iraq

A South Carolina soldier has died while serving in Iraq.

Spc. Javion “Jay” Shavonte Sullivan, 24, of Fort Mill died Monday from what the Department of Defense described as a “non-combat related incident,” according to a news release from the Department of Defense.

Sullivan was assigned to the 16th Signal Company, 11th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas. He died in Anbar Province in Iraq, the release said.

Sullivan, called Jay, graduated from Fort Mill High School in 2011, Dee Christopher, principal at the school, told The Herald of Rock Hill. Sullivan was at the school for two years and was a member of the wrestling team, the newspaper reported.

Television station Fox 46 in Greenville quoted his aunt, Patricia Hackett of Simpsonville, as saying Sullivan joined the Army “to make a better life for his family, fight for his country.”

He is survived by his wife, Raven, and 3-year-old daughter, Mahogany, the station reported.

Stars and Stripes reported that Sullivan is the first U.S. service member to die this year while supporting the anti-ISIS campaign, and the 22nd since Operation Inherent Resolve began in the fall of 2014.

This story was originally published January 10, 2018 at 9:50 AM with the headline "SC Army soldier dies in Iraq."