Officials announce Spc. Brittany Gordon died from improvised explosive device

ST. PETERSBURG - The Department of Defense has released new details about the death of Spc. Brittany Gordon, who died while serving in Afghanistan.

The 24-year-old St. Petersburg native died October 13 from wounds received after enemy forces attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Spc. Brittany Gordon, the daughter of St. Petersburg Assistant Police Chief Cedric Gordon and Brenda Gordon, is believed to be the first woman soldier killed in battle from the Tampa Bay area.

Gordon graduated from St. Petersburg High School in 2006 and attended the University of Florida for a year before deciding to pursue a military career.

She graduated from basic training in 2010 and a year later, was sent Afghanistan, where she took part in Operation Enduring Freedom.

 She was assigned to the 572 Military Intelligence Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Gordon is one of 22 women who have been killed in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began 11 years ago.