Sheriff: Deputy Dies After Falling Ill While Training, Leaves Behind Wife and Children

A deputy died after falling ill while training last week, Indiana’s Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.

Thirty-three-year-old Deputy Asson Hacker was in training when he became sick. Evansville Police Department transported him to a local hospital, the agency said in a press release.

When he arrived, healthcare workers tried to revive him, but their efforts were unsuccessful because he never regained consciousness.

“Deputy Hacker joined the Sheriff’s Office in December of 2022 and was completing his tier one basic training. He leaves behind a wife and three young children,” the sheriff’s office said, adding details would be forthcoming.

The agency did not report where the training took place or what exercises were being performed, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.

Although coroner Steve Lockyear said the deputy’s autopsy was complete, he did not reveal a cause of death due to pending lab test results, which can take several weeks.

Hacker did not sustain any “obvious” injuries that would explain his manner of death, Lockyear noted.

Video footage shows first responders in Hacker’s funeral procession. Law enforcement motorcycles and vehicles are seen traveling in a line with their lights flashing:

Asson was born in Queens, New York, according to his obituary on the Boone Funeral Home’s website.

“Asson worked as a coal miner before joining the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office in 2022. He enjoyed playing sports with his children, spending time with family, weekend getaways with his wife, and he especially loved his boys,” the obituary read.

In a social media post Friday, Indiana’s Brown County Sheriff’s Office offered condolences to those who knew and loved Hacker, and also to those who knew Master Trooper James Bailey of the Indiana State Police:

“Master Trooper Bailey was struck by a suspect vehicle while attempting to deploy a tire deflation device during a vehicle pursuit. He later succumbed to his injuries,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office asked for patience while it waited for more details regarding Hacker’s death, adding the support of local agencies and organizations “has been overwhelming and greatly appreciated.”