Air Force investigating after 2 servicemen found dead in dorm room on Germany base

Berlin — The U.S. Air Force said Monday that it's investigating the cause of death of two servicemen who died at a base in Germany last week. Airman 1st Class Xavier Leaphart and Airman 1st Class Aziess Whitehurst, both aged 20, were found unresponsive in a dormitory room at Spangdahlem Air Base in western Germany on Thursday evening and pronounced dead shortly afterward.

"The cause of the death is still under investigation," said Valerie Seeley, an Air Force spokeswoman. "More information will be released as it becomes available."

She said no other base members were in the dormitory room and neither airman had roommates.

The Air Force said Leaphart, who was from Georgia, is survived by his father, Malik Muhammad, and mother, Pamela Leaphart. It said Whitehurst, from Arizona, is survived by his father and mother, Davin and Maria Whitehurst.

In a statement Sunday, base commander Colonel David Epperson expressed his condolences to "the friends and families that have been affected by this tragedy."

A U.S. serviceman stands guard in front of the U.S. Air Force base at Spangdahlem, western Germany, in a 2007 file photo. AFP/Getty
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