West Point Releases Identity of Cadet Who Disappeared with Service Rifle

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U.S. Military Academy officials at West Point, New York, on Tuesday identified the cadet who recently vanished with an M4 carbine as Kade Kurita of Gardena, California.

West Point officials still believe the 20-year-old cadet, who has been missing since Friday, is somewhere on the sprawling military campus and training grounds.

"There has been no cell phone or financial activity in over 72 hours," Col. Cecil Marson, the garrison commander, said in a recent news release. "This leads us to believe that he is still in the vicinity of West Point."

Kurita was about to go to the training area to compete in military skills events in an attempt to be selected for the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition next spring, Lt. Col. Christopher Ophardt, a West Point spokesman, told Military.com.

Related: Massive Search Effort Widens for West Point Cadet Who Vanished with M4 Carbine

He had already drawn his M4 from the arms room Friday when he disappeared at roughly 5:30 p.m., according to Ophardt, who said that Kurita left other equipment behind, including his M4 magazines.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the missing cadet and weapon, according to the release.

The search effort -- which consists of about 400 personnel, including 130 military police soldiers from Fort Drum, New York -- has covered more than 6,000 acres on West Point, it adds.

Poor weather conditions hampered both military and New York State Police helicopters from searching Tuesday, the release states.

New York State Police dive teams have been using sonar to help search in the Hudson River, as well as lakes and ponds on West Point.

Officials are asking anyone with information on Kurita's location to contact West Point Military Police at 845-938-2208.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

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