Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant David Dunigan was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a murder suspect who had shot and killed two other officers earlier in the day. Officer John Conrad and Deputy Lawrence McParlin, of the Charles County Sheriff's Office, MD, attempted to serve a warrant on a subject at 76 I Street, NW when the subject shot and killed them. The suspect fled to 1400 Carrollsburg Place, SW, where Lieutenant Dunigan confronted him. During the ensuing shootout, Lieutenant Dunigan wounded the suspect as well. The suspect escaped but was recaptured and hanged on January 22, 1925, after claiming 12 murders, including Patrolman William Holmes of Chicago. Lieutenant Dunigan had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 43 years assigned to the Fourth Precinct. He was survived by five adult children. He is buried in Olivet Cemetery, Washington, DC.
Survivors
He was survived by five adult children.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-DC-3401D220- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
43 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Dunigan gave the Metropolitan Police Department 43 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Dunigan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant David T. Dunigan is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
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. David T. Dunigan's cause is highlighted.
How David T. Dunigan Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and wounded
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David T. Dunigan is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David T. Dunigan was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
