Harry J. McDonald

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 22, 1929

Age 30

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 57 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 130

Incident

Officer Harry McDonald was shot and killed by two brothers he had just arrested while he attempted to find a call box. He had arrested the two near 17th Street and Q Street, NW, for suspicion of burglary of a drugstore. After the arrest had placed the men in the front seat of his squad car without handcuffing them. As he exited the squad car to locate the call box one of the suspects opened fire, fatally wounding Officer McDonald. He was able to return fire and kill one of the suspects. The second suspect was convicted of Officer McDonald's murder and sentenced to death. He was executed on May 6, 1932. Officer McDonald was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI. He had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for seven years and was assigned to the Third Precinct. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was buried at Fort Lincoln Cemetery.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DC-7F2619E4
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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 McDonald gave the Metropolitan Police Department 7 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

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 22, 1929

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1932

Military Service

Harry J. McDonald served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Harry J. McDonald 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.

Metropolitan Police Department

of 131 officers

53.4% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious