Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Joseph Cournoyer was shot and killed while questioning a suspect who had just robbed a store. Sergeant Cournoyer observed one of the men board a Metro bus near the Minnesota Avenue Metro station and escorted him off of the bus for identification purposes. The suspect began to struggle with Sergeant Cournoyer and drew a gun and shot him in the chest. The suspect was sentenced to first-degree murder in August 1985. The jury took less than an hour to convict him.
Survivors
Sergeant Cournoyer had been with the agency for six years and was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-401D50A9- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Cournoyer gave the Metropolitan Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Cournoyer.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Joseph M. Cournoyer 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 97,772 officers honored here.
In DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph M. Cournoyer's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph M. Cournoyer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph M. Cournoyer is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph M. Cournoyer was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
