A training exercise in Northern Virginia turned tragic this weekend when two FBI agents were killed.
According to the Washington Post , two agents from the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team were participating in a training exercise at the Quantico Marine Force Base in Virginia. Details of the accident are not known at this time, but an FBI spokesperson said that the incident did not involve gun fire.
According to ABC , the two FBI agents that were killed during the exercise have been identified the agents as Christopher Lorek, 41, and Stephen Shaw, 40.
FBI director Robert S. Mueller said in a statement: “We mourn the loss of two brave and courageous men. Like all who serve on the Hostage Rescue Team, they accept the highest risk each and every day, when training and on operational missions, to keep our nation safe. Our hearts are with their wives, children, and other loved ones who feel their loss most deeply. And they will always be part of the FBI Family.”
A press release from the FBI states that Lorek, who joined the FBI in 1996, is survived by his wife and two daughters, 11 and 8. Shaw joined in 2005 and is survived by his wife, his 3-year-old daughter, and his 1-year-old son.
The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team was formed in 1984 and is part of the Critical Incident Response Group. Since it’s creation, the highly trained officers have assisted in more than 800 hostage situations.
FBI Mourns the Loss of Two Special Agents Killed in Training Exercise: — Washington, D.C. 1.usa.gov/13zUlzk #FBI
— FBI PressOffice (@FBIPressOffice) May 20, 2013
Here’s a video report about the incident.