Chris Morgan
Chris Morgan has been identified as the cadet who tragically lost his life in an accident at West Point on Thursday. He was 22-years-old.
Chris was killed when a vehicle loaded with West Point cadets on summer training overturned in rough, wooded terrain. According to reports, the vehicle rolled down some 15 to 20 feet, coming to a rest on a rocky area.
Two soldiers who were operating the vehicle and at least 19 others were injured during the crash.
Christopher J Morgan, originally from West Orange, New Jersey; was attending the summer cadet training program. Morgan ended classes at West Point last month, but the academy runs summer military training exercises for cadets in the heavily wooded hills outside the main gates.
Morgan was also a star wrestler, he participated in the 2015 Essex County Wrestling Tournament at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange. He was a 2015 West Orange High School graduate and during his high school time, he shattered school wrestling records.
He finished in fifth place in the 182-pound class at the state Wrestling Championships in 2015 after a season that included a 30-1 record with 20 pins. In addition to wrestling, Chris Morgan was also passionate about football during high school.
At West Point, he was a member of the Class of 2020 majoring in Law and Legal Studies. And was a standout member of the Army Wrestling Team.
His mourning father, Chris Morgan Sr. said about him “I’ll always miss him. There’s no changing that. It’s tough — I’ll always love him and that will never go away. That will never change. He will always be here”
He also added his son was a ‘hero, a shining star and an inspiration to everyone around him’
An investigation is currently being conducted.
