A police officer who spent greater than 25 years serving to take weapons off the streets in Washington, D.C., died Wednesday whereas by accident capturing himself trying to retrieve a gun from a storm drain after police chased a suspect.
Investigator Wayne David of the District’s Metropolitan Police Division died Wednesday, MPD Govt Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll mentioned outdoors MedStar Washington Hospital Middle, the place David was handled earlier than succumbing to his accidents.
“It is with a really heavy coronary heart that I announce that Investigator Wayne David, who was assigned to our Violent Crimes Suppression Division, did cross away this night right here on the hospital,” Carroll mentioned.
DC POLICE OFFICER SHOT DRIVING TO WORK; 2 PERSONS OF INTEREST DETAINED IN MARYLAND
“Wayne was a real hero to the District of Columbia. At this time he gave his life to serve the guests and the residents right here within the District of Columbia, and we’ll always remember that.”
David was making an attempt to get well a firearm that had allegedly been discarded by a suspect throughout a pursuit alongside Interstate 295. The gun Wayne tried to retrieve discharged and struck him within the higher physique, the MPD mentioned.
He was rendered support on the scene by fellow officers earlier than being transported to the hospital, the place he was pronounced useless.
MPD Chief Pamela Smith mentioned David “was the epitome of an ideal officer” who was devoted and a “extremely revered member of the division.”
In response to police in a press launch, an officer noticed a automobile on Quarles Avenue and tried to tug the suspect over, to which the suspect jumped out of the automobile, leading to a foot chase.
The suspect jumped from the service street space (Douglass Avenue NE and the Kenilworth Avenue Service Street) to Interstate-295 southbound. When he jumped down, the suspect dropped the firearm inside a storm drain, police mentioned.
The suspect, described as a black male with lengthy locks, then fled the world on the again of a motorbike.
David recovered the firearm earlier than by accident capturing himself. He was transported by helicopter to the native hospital, the place he later died.
Police are on the lookout for tricks to find the suspect, and the incident stays beneath investigation.
David had been a part of the MPD’s Violent Crimes Suppression Unit since 2017, and had helped get well a whole lot of weapons throughout that point.
Members of the police pressure started gathering outdoors the hospital earlier than they acquired the information that David had died. He was a mentor to lots of them and well-liked, in line with Fox5DC.
“It is a very tragic loss for our division and our group,” Carroll mentioned. “Our hearts exit to his household throughout this extremely troublesome time.”
David leaves behind a daughter, a son, and his girlfriend. Carroll mentioned the loss of life is being thought of a line-of-duty loss of life, and that MPD vows to honor his legacy with ceremonies and tributes.
