A 32-year-old Knoxville, Tennessee, police recruit died Sunday two days after he collapsed during physical training at the academy.
Tennessee Police Recruit Dies After Collapsing During Physical Training
As recruit Wisben Antoine's conditioned worsened Friday, Chief Paul Noel made the decision to swear him in as a police officer.
by Staff
February 26, 2024
Knoxville, Tennessee, police recruit Wisbens Antoine died Sunday after collapsing Friday at the academy. He was sworn in as an officer shortly before his death.
Credit:
Knoxville PD/Facebook
1 min to read
Officer Wisbens Antoine, a member of the Knoxville PD’s 2023-B Basic Recruit Class experienced a medical emergency and collapsed while exercising after a mile-and-a-half run. The training staff gave him CPR and used an AED on him before he was rushed to the hospital. “He was admitted to ICU late Friday night in critical, life-threatening condition,” police said on Facebook.
As Antoine's conditioned worsened Friday, Chief Paul Noel made the decision to swear him in as a police officer, Knox News reports.
"There was no better way to honor his service and his sacrifice to the department and the community than to make him a police officer at the hospital," Noel said during a press conference.
The police department command and training staff, Antoine's recruit class and Mayor Indya Kincannon were on hand as Knoxville Municipal Judge Tyler Caviness swore Antoine in, Noel said. A fellow recruit took the oath on Antoine's behalf and placed his new badge on his chest, Noel added.
Antoine died early Sunday.
He was supposed to be sworn in as an officer on March 4.
Antoine is survived by his wife and two children.
Topics:Training
More Training
Sponsored•March 2, 2026
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
Caswell Live Fire Spins Off from InVeris
Caswell Live Fire has spun off from parent company InVeris, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Caswell’s founding. Over the past 100 years, Caswell has developed pioneering solutions that support military, law enforcement, and commercial clients worldwide.
Read More →
When Do You Transport a Wounded Officer Instead of Waiting for EMS?
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with a yellow headline that reads When Do You Transport a Wounded Officer Instead of Waiting for EMS?
Read More →
Coffee Break with Police Experts: Using Your Patrol Vehicle for Cover
In this video, hear from Dustin Mowery, a product specialist at Team Wendy, as he discusses how to best use a patrol vehicle for cover.
Read More →
What Officers Should Have in Their IFAK
Sydney Vail, M.D., explains what officers should carry in their IFAKs, the importance of carrying two tourniquets, and the necessity of locating medical gear in a location that can be easily accessed with either hand.
Read More →
How to Get Free Active Threat Response Training
Learn how your agency can get free active threat response training. Mike Willis, of the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association, details what the program teaches and explains other available free training programs.
Read More →
Using Patrol Vehicles for Cover
While a patrol vehicle offers some cover protection when taking fire, remain mobile and don’t stick to one piece of cover indefinitely. Dustin Mowery, of Team Wendy, shares what he teaches about using vehicles as cover.
Read More →
San Francisco Police Recruit Dies in Training
Recruit Officer Jon-Marques Psalms, 30, reportedly suffered a medical emergency after completing a training exercise on Wednesday August 20, 2025, at the Academy.
Read More →POLICE and Flock Safety Present Webinar on Combining LPR with Real-Time Video
The webinar titled “Beyond the Plate: Real-Time Video Intelligence for Police Operations” will show how pairing LPR data with live camera feeds delivers faster, safer, and more coordinated responses on everything from stolen vehicles to active BOLOs.
Read More →