Soldier killed in Iraq remembered in Brooklyn as proud, respectful man

A U.S. solider killed in Iraq is remembered in Brooklyn community as a proud, respectful man. NY1's Clodagh McGowan filed the following report.

On a quiet block in Canarsie, home to many veterans, a family is mourning the death of one of their own. 

Army Sergeant Roshaine Brooks, 30, was killed in Iraq on Sunday.

The Army says an artillery unit was firing on an Islamic State position "when a mishap occurred," killing Brooks and another soldier. No other details were provided. 

"We are going through a lot. Because it's so close to home," said Joy Houston, Brooks' cousin.

Houston says her family was incredibly proud of Brooks. He enlisted in June 2012, deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper last year. This was his first deployment to Iraq.

"He was the coolest guy you could ever meet, anybody could ever meet," Houston said. "He was calm-spirited and he was very nice. That's the most I could say. He was never in any trouble, very respectful." 

Houston says Brooks was born in Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager. An Army spokesperson says Brooks was still a citizen of Jamaica when he died. 

There are programs to expedite the path to citizenship for immigrants who enlist in the Armed Forces. It's unclear if Brooks was seeking citizenship in such a program, but his cousin says there is no doubt he was proud of his adopted home. 

"He really loved his country and he wanted to serve," Houston said.

"Every time I met him, he always had a smile on his face, he always said good things about his country. And he was so happy to be fighting for his country," said Mike Tepedino of the DSNY.

Sergeant Allen Stigler Jr. 22, of Arlington, Texas was also killed. Both men were posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, a Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Action Badge.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered flags on all government buildings to fly at half staff in honor of Brooks, calling his death tragic and one that will be felt deeply by his entire New York family.