A Fort Riley soldier shot himself in his car Sunday shortly after contact was made with authorities, according to a media release from the Geary County Sherrif’s Office Monday morning.
Dakota Blake Noah, 21, of Fort Riley, is the deceased. Authorities say family has been notified. In an email to KMAN, Fort Riley confirmed a 1st Infantry Division soldier had died Sunday, but said it would not release the name of the soldier or any further details until 24 hours following the next-of-kin notification
Sunday, at approximately 5:25 p.m., Geary County Sheriff’s Department deputies and Grandview Plaza Police officers were dispatched to the 11000 block of J Hill Road in Junction City for a third party report of an armed and possibly suicidal subject inside a vehicle.
Upon arrival, contact was made with Noah, according to the Geary County Sherrif’s Office. He was sitting inside a vehicle and parked in an access driveway. Deputies attempted to communicate with him, but a short time after attempting communication, Noah shot himself. He was transported to the Geary Community Hospital where he later died.
Noah is the second non-combat death at Fort Riley this year.
By Oct. 24 of last year, Fort Riley saw a string of 10 non-combat deaths that began in June. Two more were added when First Lt. Stephanie Hetland died in a November car accident in Texas and Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Johnson was found dead in his Junction City residence Dec. 16.
