The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado has launched an investigation after a 19-year-old cadet was found dead in his dorm room this week.
The academy said in a statement that Avery Koonce, 19, a senior from Taylor, Texas, was “discovered unconscious in her residence hall on Wednesday evening” after emergency personnel were unsuccessful in attempting to save her life. Koonce was scheduled to graduate in 2028 and was a member of the girls' track and field team.
“We have lost a great teammate… Although Avery was only with us for a short time, she made a positive impact on the unit, the intercollegiate team and the classroom. Her loss will be felt throughout USAFA,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, the academy's superintendent. “Our team is focused on providing support to Avery's family, the 38th Cadet Company, the track and field team and the entire academy family.”
The academy added, “Mr. Avery, we wish you blue skies and fair winds as you rest in peace.”
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Avery Koonce was found dead in his dorm room on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Koonce attended Thrall High School. Austin American Statesman, The newspaper reported that the school district's superintendent said she was student body president and a leader in the National Honor Society.
“She was an icon at our high school,” Superintendent Tommy Hooker told the newspaper. “She embodies the qualities you want in a well-rounded student. Our community is at a loss. We're just devastated.”
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A fighter jet is seen on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Rep. Pete Sessions, who recommended Coonce for admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy outside Colorado Springs, told the Austin American-Statesman he was “deeply saddened to hear of Coonce's death.”
Tusazigwe Owens demonstrates how to operate an airsoft gun before cadets take part in a training exercise at the U.S. Air Force Academy in September 2023. (Reuters)
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“She was a thoughtful, eloquent young woman who was well prepared to succeed at the U.S. Air Force Academy. … Cadet Koonce was an incredible leader and her death is a great loss to the Texas community and her peers at the U.S. Air Force Academy,” Sessions added.
