By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
WASHINGTON – A 29-year-old special agent with the D.C. Inspector General’s Office collapsed and died Wednesday in suburban Virginia while taking a FBI physical stress test to become an agent, according to sources familiar with the incident.
Lloyd Hodge, who had been an investigator with the D.C. Inspector General’s Office for about four years, and worked on an FBI public corruption task force, was going through the steps necessary to become an FBI agent, which included the physical test on Wednesday.
The incident happened in the Tysons Corner area in Fairfax County outside of Washington, according to sources familiar with the incident. The FBI did not disclose the cause of death or other details.
In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, FBI spokesman Michael P. Kortan said:
“The FBI is greatly saddened by the tragic death of our task force colleague and applicant who was well into the process of becoming an FBI agent. We have extended our sympathy and support to the Hodge family.”
Colleagues at the Inspector General’s Office were devastated by news of his death, said Austin Andersen, the deputy D.C. Inspector General.
“He was very popular throughout the office, admired and respected by everyone. And of course his colleagues are devastated,” Andersen said.
“He worked on a lot of major cases and was exceptional,” he added.
Andersen said it wasn’t unusual for young investigators in his office to move on to the federal agencies like the FBI.
“We encourage that,” he said. “We’re happy if they’re able to do well. We would have been very happy for (Lloyd) if that had come to pass.”
My sincerest condolences to Lloyd’s family. Lloyd will be missed–we attended the academy together at FLETC back in 05, and actually truth be told it was his famous and funny commands that ended up on our shirts as our class motto…we were in the process of performing a raid and during the heightened state emotions, Lloyd being the knock and announce officer said….”POLICE, I have an arrest for you warrant.” –that moment the comedy was so overwhelming the instructors were doubled over laughing just as we were….it took a minute for Lloyd to get what he had said….”did i say arrest for your warrant.” The look and moment was priceless.
Lloyd will truly be missed. God Speed.
Jason ATF
CITP-546