James L. Gordon

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch December 14, 1987

Age 41

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 130

Incident

Officer James Gordon was shot and killed by a Prince George's County police officer in a case of mistaken identity. He had returned to his home in 10600 block of Mt. Lubentia Way in Largo, Maryland, when he discovered an open window and suspected that a burglar might be inside. As Officer Gordon walked through the house with his gun drawn, a Prince George's County police officer arrived on the scene because a neighbor had reported seeing a suspicious person enter the home. In a tragic case of mistaken identity, the responding officer shot and killed Officer Gordon when he turned toward him with his gun in hand. Officer Gordon was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DC-BB8F1392
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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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 Gordon gave the Metropolitan Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 14, 1987

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

James L. Gordon served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer James L. Gordon is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 32 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 48 of 131 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 36.6% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department

of 131 officers

36.6% Accident

DC — Statewide

454

of 1,419 officers

32% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident