D.C.: Police Officer Killed After Accidental Self-Inflicted Gunshot

OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
11:19 PM – Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Officer Wayne David of the Washington, D.C., police department passed away on Wednesday night following an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound sustained while attempting to retrieve a firearm from a storm drain.

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According to reports, during a police chase, a suspect had jumped out of a car, ran across the I-295 highway, and stashed a firearm inside a nearby storm drain while officers were responding to complaints of a “suspicious vehicle.” After that, the suspect quickly hopped on a motorcycle that was waiting for him and rode away from the site.

David, a 25-year police veteran, was shot by the stashed weapon in the upper body as he and other officers attempted to grab it out of the drain. After receiving immediate assistance from the officers beside him, David was taken to a nearby hospital.

However, other surfacing reports have claimed that he was actually shot in the head.

As a crime scene search officer, David was “trained to recover evidence and firearms,” and throughout his career, he had “hundreds of gun” recoveries without any issue, according to Executive Assistant Chief of D.C. Police Jeffery Carroll, who made this revelation to the press earlier in the day.

“Our hearts are heavy tonight after the tragic loss of one of our own,” said Pamela A. Smith, the D.C.’s chief of police.

“Investigator Wayne David, a veteran MPD officer, lost his life while serving in the line of duty. There are few words to express the hurt and pain that Officer David’s family and the entire MPD is feeling right now.”

“Investigator David was the epitome of a great officer. He was a dedicated and highly respected member of the department, and this is a tremendous loss for all of us.”

“For more than 25 years, Investigator David dedicated his life to protecting and safeguarding the District of Columbia. 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, and his life will never be forgotten,” the statement read.

The suspect who abandoned the gun is still being searched for by the police. He was described as a “Black man with long dreadlocks who was last seen wearing a white shirt and light blue shorts.”