BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- A cadet training to be a Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agent died Thursday after collapsing at the academy in Baton Rouge.
Immanuel Washington, 38, of Youngsville, had just completed a 2.5-mile run Wednesday morning at the academy on North Flannery Road when he fell to the ground, the department wrote in a news release.
Agents performed CPR on scene, and Washington was taken to a hospital, where he died a day later. The East Baton Rouge coroner will perform an autopsy to determine an official cause of death.
“Our hearts are broken by this tragedy. ... From the accounts I received, Mr. Washington was an excellent cadet and an even better person. This is a loss for Louisiana.”” Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Jack Montoucet wrote in a statement.
Asked if the extreme heat might have been a factor in the cadet's death, Adam Einck, a spokesman for Wildlife and Fisheries, said the agency is awaiting a report from East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Beau Clark.
Clark's office said its preliminary report found no signs of trauma and that further comprehensive studies will need to be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Einck said Wildlife and Fisheries does not have a specific heat threshold policy when it comes to training cadets.
"However, our physical fitness training is conducted in the morning hours between 6 and 7 a.m. and all of our staff are trained in first aid and CPR for the professional rescuer," Einck said. "This enables them to identify signs and symptoms of heat casualties and provide treatment until further medical assistance can be obtained."
Washington, who is survived by his wife, a three-year-old son and a year-old daughter, is a former member of the Youngsville Police Department. He left that position recently to join the LDWF, according to a post from the department.
"Your Red Line family will cherish all of the memories we have of working with you. Rest In Peace Brother," read the post.
Washington was also a member of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette basketball team from 2001-'03.
On Twitter Governor John Bel Edwards posted, "We are saddened to hear of the loss of @LDWF Cadet Immanuel Washington. Donna and I ask everyone in Louisiana to join their prayers to ours for his family and friends during this very difficult time."
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