David Bruce Ladner

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol — Jackson, MS

Felonious

End of Watch April 12, 1987

Age 33

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Badge K-34

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 27

Incident

Trooper Ladner was shot and killed on I-10, in Harrison County, by a suspect who turned out to be wanted in Florida. During the stop Trooper Ladner asked the driver for consent to search the vehicle. The suspect then produced a .38 caliber revolver and shot Trooper Ladner in the chest, knocking him to the ground. He shot him a second time and then stole his service weapon and patrol car. Although mortally wounded, Trooper Ladner was able to flag down a passing motorist, who transported him to a local hospital. He succumbed to his wounds two days later. The suspect was convicted of Trooper Ladner's murder and sentenced to death. He was executed on July 17, 2002. Trooper Ladner had been with the agency for 9 years. He was survived by his wife and three children. A section of US Highway 49, in Harrison County, was dedicated in Trooper Ladner's memory.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MS-96584C9A
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Ladner gave the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Ladner.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol

Location Jackson, MS

Platform Identity mdpsmhp.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 12, 1987

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 33

Badge Number K-34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Executed in 2002

Trooper David Bruce Ladner 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol, 10 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.7% of this agency's fallen.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Mississippi Highway Patrol

of 28 officers

35.7% Felonious

MS — Statewide

242

of 349 officers

69.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious