An 18-year-old trainee, Private Andrey Okunev of Long Beach, California, died while on a rifle range at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in the late morning of September 5, 2025. Medical staff from the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital pronounced him dead at 10:33 a.m.; no other trainees were harmed. Okunev was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment and was more than halfway through his 10-week Basic Combat Training, scheduled to graduate on October 2.

Okunev was remembered in his hometown as a kind, community-minded young man who had recently graduated from Sato High School and spent time refereeing youth soccer. He is survived by his parents and three siblings; a GoFundMe was set up to assist the family. Fort Leonard Wood law enforcement and the Army Criminal Investigation Division opened an investigation. Officials have not released details about the fatal injury, have not alleged foul play, and no suspects or arrests have been announced.

Did anyone who knew Andrey or who was training on the range that day see or hear anything that could help clarify what happened?