United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Thursday, June 2, 2005
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 16 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Fall
Date of Incident: May 25, 2005
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Special Agent Robert Hardesty succumbed to injuries suffered eight days earlier during a training exercise at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Agent Hardesty fell 20 feet off an airplane wing during an FBI SWAT team training exercise while he was practicing aircraft entry techniques. He was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, where he remained until he died from complications as a result of being paralyzed in the fall.
Agent Hardesty had served with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for three years and was assigned to a resident agency in Bloomington, Illinois. He had previously served with the Indiana State Excise Police for six years and the Porter County, Indiana, Sheriff's Department for seven years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and two sisters.
On December 15, 2005, the Robert R. Hardesty FBI Headquarters Building was dedicated at the Springfield, Illinois, field office in his honor.