DC cop killed by accidental gunshot recovering firearm from storm drain

D.C. police officer Wayne David passed away on Wednesday evening after accidentally shooting himself while attempting to recover a weapon from a storm drain, police have reported.

Officers had responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle when a man jumped out of the car, ran onto the I-295 highway, and placed the gun in a storm drain, according to ABC News. The suspect then fled the scene on a motorcycle. As police attempted to retrieve the weapon, it accidentally discharged, hitting David, a 25-year veteran of the force, in the upper torso. Fellow officers provided immediate aid, and David was rushed to a local hospital.

Executive Assistant Chief of D.C. Police Jeffery Caroll told reporters that David, a crime scene search officer, was “trained to recover evidence and firearms” and had successfully recovered “hundreds of guns” throughout his career.

D.C. Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith expressed her sorrow in a statement: “Our hearts are heavy tonight after the tragic loss of one of our own. 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 are feeling right now.”