You can watch a livestream of the service below from WTOP’s partners at 7 News:
The viewing began at 9 a.m. and a public funeral starts at 11 a.m., both held at Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Maryland.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, police Chief Pamela Smith and Lt. Kenyon Hogans will be delivering remarks at the beginning of the funeral.
Following the funeral, a procession will travel through a portion of Northeast D.C. and end with a burial at 3 p.m. at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Bladensburg.
On Aug. 28, David, a 25-year veteran of D.C.’s police force, was trying to recover a gun that a man officers were chasing allegedly dropped into a storm drain in the area of DC-295 and Eastern Avenue. The gun went off and David was fatally shot in the head.
The man who’s accused of ditching the gun, later identified as 27-year-old Tyrell Lamonte Bailey, was arrested last week and faces charges related to possessing and discarding the firearm.
The police chief said David’s death is a “tragic loss” for the community.
“Not only was he a great officer, but he was a good man,” Smith told WTOP. “He spent countless hours, even after work, providing service and support to his community. And when I tell you, it’s a tragic loss, not just for his family, but for the Metropolitan Police Department and the community within the Washington, D.C. area as a whole.”
Smith said officers sometimes feel their jobs are thankless, “but this humanizes the work that we do every single day.”
DC Police Chief Pamela Smith on the ‘tragic loss’ of Officer Wayne David. “He was a good man.” pic.twitter.com/nxKNOVWU8c
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) September 12, 2024
David leaves behind his fiancée, a son and a daughter. A community vigil was held in Northeast D.C. for David earlier this month.
According to David’s obituary, he was known for his “contagious laughter and smile,” bringing together his community with homemade meals and taking care of his entire family. He was awarded an achievement medal for his work in the Gun Recovery Unit of the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division, a Unit Citation for exceptional performance and service, and a Meritorious Service Medal.
He also served as a member of the District of Columbia Air National Guard since 1996.
Procession to impact traffic
David’s funeral procession will take place from approximately 1:30 to 3 p.m.
There will be rolling closures on the following roads Thursday afternoon:
- Allentown Road from Lumar Drive to the on-ramp to the Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway at Forestville Road; the 7700 block of Allentown Road to Forestville Road
- The Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway/NB I-95/I-495 from Allentown Road to Route 50
- Interstate 495 northbound between Allentown Road and Branch Avenue
- Westbound Route 50 from the Capital Beltway to the D.C. line
- Both directions of New York Avenue NE from Bladensburg Road NE to the Maryland line
- Bladensburg Road NE from New York Avenue NE to 38th Avenue in Colmar Manor, Maryland
D.C. police said drivers in the area of the funeral, burial or procession route should proceed with caution, as there may also be more pedestrians wandering around.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
