The Knox County Sheriff’s Department and Deputy Mike Fisher have been named as defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Vanderburgh Superior Court 1.

The case concerns the death of Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputy Asson Hacker, who died on March 2, 2024, during basic training.

The lawsuit, filed by Hacker’s widow, says that the training involved an event known as “The Big Fight,” and it allegedly contributed to his death.

That event was held at an Evansville martial arts club and was reportedly said to be a mandatory part of Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy training. Deputy Fisher was serving as an instructor at the academy.

The lawsuit describes “The Big Fight” as similar to a UFC-style competition, during which Fisher fought Hacker and allegedly “choked, strangled, punched, and body-slammed” him. Video footage reportedly shows Hacker lying motionless before being taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead a few hours later.

WEHT in Evansville reports that Hacker’s cause of death was attributed to a sickle cell anemia trait.

The suit also names the Evansville Police Department, the Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, and Garret Vanfleet of the Evansville Police Department as defendants.

Vanfleet was described as the “coach” of the fight. The suit alleges that Vanfleet failed to stop the fight when Hacker showed signs of exhaustion.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and requests a jury trial.