Investigator Wayne David, a veteran MPD officer, was fatally shot on duty due to a firearm that discharged while he was working to retrieve it down a storm drain near Kenilworth and Eastern Avenue NE, directly off of the I-295 corridor, on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“Our hearts are heavy after the tragic loss of one of our own,” said MPD Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. “For more than 25 years, Investigator David dedicated his life to protecting and safeguarding the District of Columbia and was the epitome of a great officer. He served with passion and honor and had the utmost respect of his peers. I will be forever grateful for Investigator David’s service to the Metropolitan Police Department.”
The incident occurred when David was grabbing the gun from the storm drain where a person of interest had dumped a firearm. The firearm unexpectedly went off, hitting David in the upper body. Though officers immediately began attending to David and he was transported for care by a MPD helicopter, David, 51, later died from the incident.
The District Office of the Attorney General remembered David fondly and weighed in on his longtime experience in the field, retrieving firearms and working to protect the community.
“Our office had the extreme good fortune to work with Investigator David, who, throughout his over 25-year career with MPD, recovered hundreds of illegal firearms and directly contributed to the safety of our community,” read a statement from the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. “We were honored to have worked with Investigator David, and his tragic loss is a sobering reminder of the dangerous but important work that our law enforcement partners engage in every day.”