David Clark Higginbotham
Agency patch
Officer

David Clark Higginbotham

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 7, 1963
Age 23
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Badge 875
The Vigil Panel 99 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer David Higginbotham was struck and killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic at a shopping center at Alabama Avenue and 30th Street, SE, at approximately 8:20 pm.

The driver fled the scene but surrendered to police the next day.

Officer Higginbotham was a West Virginia National Guard veteran and had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for only three months.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-84586440
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew David. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. David is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Higginbotham served with the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1963
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 23
Badge Number 875
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Military Service

David Clark Higginbotham served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer David Clark Higginbotham is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 70 of 131 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.4% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department
70
of 131 officers
53.4% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,419 officers
53.1% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Clark Higginbotham's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How David Clark Higginbotham Compares

Age at Death
23
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David Clark Higginbotham is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David Clark Higginbotham was killed by automobile.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

David Clark Higginbotham served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit David Clark Higginbotham’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.