A former Hawaii-based soldier has been identified as the man shown in a widely distributed photograph heroically shielding a woman from gunfire in Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas.

The Army confirmed in a tweet Thursday that the man is Matthew Cobos. “He is the epitome of the American soldier,” the Army said in the tweet, which included the Getty Images’ photograph of Cobos protecting the woman.

A Schofield Barracks spokesman said Thursday evening that Cobos left the Army in May and he had been assigned to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry.

His Facebook page identifies Cobos as a cavalry scout.

Photographer David Becker was covering the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday for Getty Images, CNN reported. Becker captured scenes of horrified concertgoers running for cover and some lying covered in blood on the ground.

“People were cowering, they were very fearful for their lives,” Becker told CNN. “A woman tripped right in front of me, a man shielded a woman with his body before I saw them both get up and run away, a man in a wheelchair was helped to an exit.”

The Daily Mail in London reported that after Cobos got the woman to safety, he ran back to help the injured, using his belt as a tourniquet.

Messages of support, thanks and admiration filled his Facebook page.

“Thank you for your service, your courage under fire, your compassion, your selfless act. Your story is a beacon in a dark time,” Angela Gibson wrote.

“God bless you, soldier. You are the true definition of a hero,” wrote Krista Breault.

Embed from Getty Images