A veteran Washington, D.C., police officer was fatally shot Wednesday when a gun that was being retrieved from a storm drain accidentally went off.
The bizarre accidental shooting that took the life of D.C. Metropolitan Police Investigator Wayne David happened at around 5:40 p.m., WUSA-TV reports. Officers from the department's Violent Crimes Suppression Unit had spotted a suspicious vehicle in the district's Northeast area and tried to talk with one of the passengers who had exited the car.
The man fled as officers approached him, tossing a gun into a storm drain before crossing a highway. The foot chase continued until the suspect got onto the back of a moving motorcycle and sped off. Police have been searching for him since then.
Back at the storm drain, police were trying to retrieve the tossed gun out of the storm drain. As an officer was pulling the weapon from the drain, it went off and a round struck David in the upper body. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
"Investigator David was the epitome of a great officer," said Chief Pamela A. Smith in a statement. "He was a dedicated and highly respected member of the department, and this is a tremendous loss for all of us."
"I will be forever grateful for Investigator David’s service to the Metropolitan Police Department and his life will never be forgotten," she added.
David had served with the department for 25 years, and he was a member of its Violent Crimes Suppression task force for 15. During his time with the agency, he "served with passion and honor and had the utmost respect of his peers," according to Smith.
The incident is being classified as a line of duty death. A ceremony to honor David is being organized.
"Today, (David) gave his life to serve the visitors and residents here in the District of Columbia, and we will never forget that," said Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll during a press conference.
No details were given concerning why officers had considered the vehicle suspicious. Investigators also were unsure if the driver of the motorcycle and the fleeing man knew each other, and surveillance video is being reviewed.
