Roll of Honor
Incident
Wildlife Agent Terry Hoffer was shot and killed while he and his partner were patrolling in the mountains along the Grand Coulee Maintenance Road southeast of Buckley, Washington, during elk season. The officers waved to a Jeep to stop and Officer Hoffer's partner exited the patrol car to approach the vehicle. As he walked around the vehicle a shot rang out. The occupants of the Jeep shouted that someone was shooting at them from the woods and drove off. Agent Hoffer's partner returned to the patrol car and found that Agent Hoffer had been shot through the chest. A person in the vehicle behind the Jeep wrote down the license plate number and the occupants were arrested later in the day. The investigation showed that one of the Jeep occupants were attempting to unload a hunting rifle at the time in order to avoid receiving a citation and accidentally fired it. On June 26, 1985, the suspect was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and tampering with a witness. He was sentenced to 23 months in prison. Agent Hoffer had served with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for seven years and had previously been an officer with another agency.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-73EBA636- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Wildlife Agent Hoffer gave the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Wildlife Agent Hoffer.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Wildlife Agent Terry L. Hoffer is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Terry L. Hoffer's cause is highlighted.
How Terry L. Hoffer Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 23 months
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Terry L. Hoffer is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Terry L. Hoffer was killed by rifle.