Might just be someone grabbed it from the top. Disect it to look for a tunnel but your tree is pretty small for borers. As for a new leader, your tree will sort that out.

tj

Could be damage from a young deer that wondered what that unknown plant tastes like. ;-)

i did take a quick look didnt see any signs of a tunnel.

Bill im fortunate to live in an area with no deer haha

Then snip the dead part off a quarter inch above the next node that's alive and stand back!

The tree will take care of the rest. ;-)