U.S. Military Academy(NEW YORK) — A U.S. Military Academy cadet who vanished last week has been found dead, officials said Wednesday.
The body of 20-year-old Kade Kurita was discovered Tuesday night at the West Point military post in New York, where the four-year federal service academy is located. Officials said the cause of death is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected.
“We are grieving this loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to Cadet Kurita’s family and friends,” Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, 60th superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, said in a statement Wednesday.
Kurita had been missing since Friday evening when he failed to report for a scheduled military skills competition. A M4 rifle was also missing and presumed to be in possession of the cadet, who officials had said was not believed to have any magazines or ammunition.
There was no indication at the time that Kurita posed a threat to the public, but officials had said he “may be a danger to himself.”
Military, federal, state and local agencies took part in an extensive search for the cadet over the past several days.
West Point is about an hour north of New York City on the banks of the Hudson River. About 4,000 cadets attend the military school.
Kurita, a native of Gardena, California, was a member of the 2021 graduating class.
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