Former State Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), a candidate to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) in Alabama’s Second Congressional District, on Tuesday reacted to the news that a soldier stationed at Fort Rucker was killed in the terrorist attack by al-Shabab Islamic extremists at Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya.

U.S. Army Spc. Henry “Mitch” Mayfield, Jr., age 23, died on Sunday serving his country, along with two American Department of Defense contractors.

In a statement, Moore said, “I want to honor this young man for his service and his sacrifice, and ask that we all keep his family in our prayers. The terrorists who committed this horrible act need to be brought to justice as soon as possible, and I’m certain that’s being addressed right now.”

“Every service member, and every Veteran who’s served, knows that they put their lives on the line every day that they wear that uniform. Our military and our Veterans deserve our full support, and we all need to work together to make sure they have it,” he remarked.

Moore concluded, “As a Veteran, supporting our military has always been a priority for me. Whether they’re currently serving or served in the past, we owe it to them to keep our promises to them. As your Congressman, I’ll continue to support them, because their willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice is what keeps the rest of us safe.”

Moore is running in the competitive Republican primary field that also includes Wiregrass businessman Jeff Coleman, Prattville businesswoman Jessica Taylor and former Alabama Attorney General Troy King.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn