People in Burgeo are dealing with the tragic news that a young man from their western Newfoundland community was killed in Afghanistan on Thursday.

Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, 35, was killed in a Taliban ambush at a schoolhouse in a village west of Kandahar. He was one of four Canadian soldiers killed Thursday in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, from Burgeo, N.L., was killed in Afghanistan Thursday.
(Department of National Defence)

Ingram's parents are being comforted in Burgeo by friends and local clergy, but they are not speaking about their son's death publicly.

The couple spent Friday inside their home with another son, who lives in Edmonton, but is in Burgeo on a visit. They have a third son who is also in the military and based in Ontario.

Rev. Hubert Vallis has spoken with the family and said they still support their son's decision to join the military.

Jocelyn Ingram calls her nephew's death a tragedy.

She said she is extremely sad for her brother-in-law and his wife, and for the families of other soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

"It's hard," said Ingram.

"You get very emotional when you know it's somebody close to home. I really loved Vaughn. I don't understand it, why they have to go over there anyway.

"I really don't understand why they have to send Canadian soldiers over there. This has been going on for years, but I'm not the one to judge."

Ingram said her nephew was a good soldier who will be missed dearly.

Canadian Forces officials are expected to arrive in the community in the next few days. When they do, the family will start making arrangements for Ingram's funeral.

In a statement issued Friday, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams called Ingram a brave hero, saying he gave his life to bring peace and security to the citizens of a war-torn land.

Ingram and two other Canadian soldiers were killed when Taliban militants attacked with rocket-propelled grenades on the outskirts of Kandahar.

The soldiers were supporting Afghan national police in clearing a suspected Taliban position in the Zharey district. The insurgents attacked at around 12:30 p.m. local time.

Killed in the attack were Ingram, Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, all three of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton.

Earlier in the day, Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid of Truro, N.S., was killed near Kandahar when his armoured vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. Reid was with the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.