Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Richard Taylor was shot and killed as he and other officers chased a 14-year-old boy with a handgun in front of a flower shop at 924 17th Street, NW. The boy ducked behind a car and shot Officer Taylor in the stomach before being apprehended. Officer Taylor had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 22 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-B04A6E70- 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
22 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Taylor gave the Metropolitan Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Taylor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Richard H. Taylor 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. Richard H. Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How Richard H. Taylor Compares
Offender Outcome
Apprehended
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard H. Taylor is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard H. Taylor 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.
