Brent L. Hanger
Agency patch
Detective

Brent L. Hanger

Washington State Patrol — Olympia, WA
Cardiac
End of Watch August 6, 2015
Age 47
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 164 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Brent Hanger suffered a fatal heart attack while hiking into a remote area of Chinook Pass, near Yakima, to investigate reports of a marijuana growing operation.

He began to suffer chest pains and shortness of breath. Other detectives who were with him immediately called for assistance and started CPR after he collapsed, but were unable to revive him.

Detective Hanger had served with the Washington State Patrol for 17 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Hanger gave the Washington State Patrol 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Washington. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Hanger.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Olympia, Thurston County, WA
Platform Identity whp.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 6, 2015
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 47
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2015, 21 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 7th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Brent was 47. 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. Brent had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

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

When

August holds 8% 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

Washington State Patrol has 34 officers remembered here, Brent among them.

VI

Where

Detective Brent L. Hanger

Washington State Patrol · End of Watch August 6, 2015

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 60-E

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