Anthony J. Schober

Wednesday, May 16 2007 @ 07:10 AM EDT

AJC.com -- RENO, Nev. — Army officials have identified the fourth soldier killed Saturday in an ambush in Iraq in which three other soldiers are believed to have been captured, a newspaper reported.

Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev., was identified by DNA testing, the soldier's relatives told the Reno Gazette Journal. Three other soldiers killed in the ambush had previously been identified.

"We don't want to talk about it right now," Schober's grandfather, Robert Asper, said from Rohnert Park, Calif. "We just found out about it. As far as we know, it's true."

Three other members of the unit, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, are believed to have been captured. An al-Qaida front group — the Islamic State of Iraq — has claimed it is holding them.

Schober, who was on his third tour of duty in Iraq, was leading a squad trying to prevent insurgents from laying roadside bombs when they were ambushed near Youssifiyah, 12 miles south of Baghdad.

Schober is survived by his mother, adoptive father and two sisters.

Las Vegas Sun -- RENO, Nev. (AP) - A shocked Nevada mother of a soldier ambushed in Iraq over the weekend is holding out hope that her son will be found alive, a spokesman said.

The Pentagon on Tuesday identified Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, as one of seven soldiers who are either missing or confirmed dead after the ambush south of Baghdad.

The ambush left four soldiers dead and three missing. The Pentagon identified three of those killed, but is waiting for more testing before the identity of the fourth dead soldier can be confirmed.

Schober's mother and stepfather held out hope during a meeting Tuesday with Nevada National Guard officials in Carson City, guard spokesman Eric Ritter said.

"They're absolutely filled with hope that he's still alive," Ritter said. "They absolutely trust the armed forces are doing everything in their power to find them.

"They said as a kid he was very good at hiding and they hope he's still good at hiding. They just miss him and hope for the best," he added.

The military did not release the names of Schober's mother and stepfather, but said they were Carson City residents.

The couple indicated they were not yet ready to talk with the media, Ritter said. They met privately with a chaplain before meeting with a guard family services representative and Ritter.

"The pain in their eyes - I've never seen anything like that before. It really dug into me," said Ritter, who served 1 1/2 years in the Mideast. "They're obviously in shock."

The guard, not the Army, was offering support to the family because of its proximity, Ritter said. The guard is headquartered in Carson City.

Schober attended Douglas High School in Minden as a sophomore and junior before he left the school, Vice Principal Tom Morgan said.

"We're not sure where he went after that," he said. "You'll have to talk to his family to find out. He was at our school six years ago and I can't remember him well."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said news of the missing soldiers was particularly saddening to Nevadans.

"I know the military is doing everything it can to locate the soldiers," Reid said. "My thoughts and prayers are with the missing soldiers, their family and friends, and the servicemen and women who are putting their lives on the line to bring them to safety."

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., also issued a statement of support.

"I cannot begin to imagine how they are dealing with this news," Ensign said. "I want them to know that the people of Nevada and this nation are with them at this difficult time, and we are all hoping for the swift and safe return of Sgt. Schober."

The seven American soldiers were members of the famed 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

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