Preston E. Bradley
Agency patch
Officer

Preston E. Bradley

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 21, 1921
Age 31
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 40 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Preston Bradley was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic with another officer at 7th and O Streets, NW. The officers saw the vehicle approaching and refusing to slow down. As the car passed both officers jumped on the running boards. The vehicle accelerated and struck a streetcar in the next intersection, pinning Officer Bradley between the two vehicles. He succumbed to major internal injuries received in the accident. Officer Bradley was a United States Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, sister, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-84F4B10C
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. Preston 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 Bradley gave the Metropolitan Police Department 3 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

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

Service Record

End of Watch February 21, 1921
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Preston E. Bradley served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Preston E. Bradley 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. Preston E. Bradley's cause is highlighted.

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

How Preston E. Bradley Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Preston E. Bradley is highlighted in Feb.

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. Preston E. Bradley 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

Preston E. Bradley served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit Preston E. Bradley’s page on salute.nw →

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