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Michael Wayne Barnes
Agency patch
Border Patrol Agent

Michael Wayne Barnes

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol — Washington, DC
Cardiac
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch December 12, 1996
Age 45
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 319 · Column 1 · Line 3 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 67

Incident

Border Patrol Agent Michael Barnes suffered a fatal heart attack while he and other agents attempted to apprehend 13 illegal immigrants on the Chittim Ranch east of Eagle Pass, Texas. As the agents were returning to their vehicles the pilot of an assisting Border Patrol helicopter radioed that Agent Barnes was down. The other agents responded to his location and began to perform CPR. He was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Agent Barnes had served with the Border Patrol for 20 years and was the agent in charge of the Carrizo Springs, Texas, Border Patrol Station.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Border Patrol Agent Barnes gave the United States Department of Justice 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Border Patrol Agent Barnes.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjinsusbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 12, 1996
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Michael is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1996, 17 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 21st heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Michael was 45. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Michael had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

December holds 8.5% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has 68 officers remembered here, Michael among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Border Patrol Agent Michael Wayne Barnes

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol · End of Watch December 12, 1996

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 51-E

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