'Devastated': Communities mourn death of Air Force cadet, 19; investigation launched

Authorities are investigating the death of a 19-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy cadet from Texas who was found unconscious in her dormitory Wednesday night.

Avery Koonce, 19, was a "well-rounded student" and the "epitome of her high school," according Tommy Hooker, the superintendent of Koonce's high school district, about 40 miles northeast of Austin.

After she was found, the first responders could not revive Koonce, according to a post by the academy on social media on Thursday.

“We lost an incredible teammate last night," academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind said in the post. "While only with us for a short time, Avery positively impacted her unit, her intercollegiate team, and her class — her loss will be felt across USAFA. Our team is focused on providing support to Avery’s family, Cadet Squadron 38, the Track and Field team, and the entire Academy family.”

Koonce, who graduated from Thrall High School, was a member of the Air Force class of 2028 and on the academy's women’s track and field team, the post said.

'We are just kind of devastated'

"Avery Koonce kept the spirit of Thrall High School alive and cared about her classmates and her school, and she was a huge contributor," Hooker said.

While Koonce was a student at Thrall High, she competed in track and pole vaulting, was a cheerleader and played in the band, according to Hooker. She was also president of the student council and a leader of the National Honor Society.

"She is what you would want in a well-rounded student," said Hooker. "Our community is at kind of at a loss with our feelings. We are just kind of devastated."

U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco, said he nominated Koonce for the Air Force Academy.

"I was incredibly saddened to hear about the loss of Cadet Koonce," he said in an email. "She was a thoughtful and articulate young woman, well prepared for success at the U.S. Air Force Academy. … Cadet Koonce was a remarkable leader, and her loss is felt by her community in Texas and fellow USAFA Cadets."

Koonce wanted to be a pilot

"I looked at her, and I said, 'Avery, with grades like this and an aptitude score like this, you sure you don't want to be an astronaut instead?' She goes, 'I'm going to work on that,'" Chip Osborne, a member of the Sessions' panel that picked high school students to send to the service academies, told 11Alive.

But Koonce didn't want that.

"[She] said, 'I want to be a pilot. I want to fly,'" Sessions told the news outlet.