N.S. native killed in Army training
Matthew Turcotte was a 2015 North Smithfield High graduate
NORTH SMITHFIELD – Members of the North Smithfield High School community who knew Spc. Matthew R. Turcotte well were having difficulty on Thursday trying to cope with his death in an Army training accident at Fort Carson in Colorado on Wednesday morning.
Turcotte, 20, who joined the Army in August of 2015, was a well-liked student at the high school, a member of football team and active in his class, according to the staff members who knew him.
High School Principal Timothy McGee recalled Turcotte while at the school’s freshmen orientation program at the Greenville Road high school Thursday night.
“He was a good kid, handsome and well liked,” McGee said. “We will miss him.”
McGee remembered Turcotte as a member of the school football squad and noted many members of the high school community were talking about him with fondness on Thursday. A vigil is expected to be held for him at the high school football field off Providence Pike over the weekend, he added.
“It’s too bad. He was a good kid and I believe he just got married,” McGee said.
Pete Mancini, the assistant football coach at high school, said members of this year’s football team learned of Turcotte’s death before practice on Wednesday afternoon.
“Coach Wes Pennington led a team prayer for him before practice began,” Mancini said.
Mancini said Turcotte was a dedicated member of the team and always gave 100 percent in effort.
“He’s a good kid. A real good kid and a hard worker,” Mancini said. “He was a pleasure to have on the team and he would do anything for you and worked hard,” the assistant coach said.
It was Turcotte’s good nature that earned him many friends at the school, according to Mancini. “I don’t think he had an enemy in the world,” Mancini said. “Everyone is shaken up about it,” he said of the sense of loss Turcotte’s friends were feeling on Thursday.
“We are just waiting to hear more about what happened,” Mancini said.
The U.S. Army announced on Thursday that Turcotte had died Wednesday morning during a live-fire training exercise at Fort Carson.
He was listed as serving with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and his accidental death was the result of being shot during a “combined arms live-fire exercise’’ that remains under investigation.
The Army reported the exercise was held in the early morning hours on Wednesday at a southern training range. Turcotte was reported to have been given extensive medical assistance following the 2:30 a.m. accident but died at the range.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Matthew Turcotte's family on his tragic and unexpected passing,” Col. David Zinn, 2nd IBCT commander said in an Army statement on accident. “He exemplified commitment to our Army and selfless service to our Nation. Matthew was a tremendous Soldier who will be dearly and personally missed by the Warhorse Brigade Team,” Zinn said.
Turcotte was listed as having deployed once to Kosovo during his two years of duty with the Army.