Arlington Police Department recruit dies after collapsing at training exercise

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A recruit for the Arlington Police Department died Sunday after collapsing at a training exercise, the department said in a news release Monday afternoon.

Marquis Kennedy was doing defensive tactics training with his recruitment class on Friday and stopped because he wasn’t feeling well, the release states. Kennedy was removed from the exercise and was put under watch of a training staff member. A short time later, he collapsed.

Training staff began CPR on Kennedy before he was taken to a hospital, where he died Sunday.

Kennedy’s cause of death is unknown, according to the release.

“Our hearts are broken,” Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said in the statement. “Recruit Kennedy had a bright and promising future as a police officer. On behalf of the Arlington Police Department, I want to express our deepest condolences to his family and our profound gratitude for his service to the City of Arlington. I ask the community to join me in lifting up his immediate and police families with love and prayer during this extremely difficult time.”

Kennedy was a member of Academy Class 62, which began instruction on July 25.

Funeral arrangements are pending.