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Gail A. Cobb
Agency patch
Officer

Gail A. Cobb

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch September 20, 1974
Age 24
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 321
The Vigil Panel 114 ›
Gender Female
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 130

Incident

Officer Gail Cobb was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a bank robbery suspect at 20th Street and L Street, NW. While walking her beat, she was tipped off that a suspected bank robber had just fled into a nearby underground parking garage. Officer Cobb located the man and instructed him to place his hands on the wall. As she radioed for assistance, the suspect spun around and fired a single shot at point-blank range. The bullet went through her wrist and her police radio and then penetrated her heart. She died at the scene. The suspect was arrested at the scene by responding officers. Officer Cobb had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for one year and was the first female Metropolitan Police Department officer to be killed in the line of duty. She is survived by her child. She is buried in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, Prince George's County, Maryland.

Survivors

She is survived by her child.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Officer Cobb gave the Metropolitan Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Cobb.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch September 20, 1974
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 24
Badge Number 321
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Gail is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1974, 162 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 22nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Gail was 24. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Gail had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where she stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Gail among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Gail A. Cobb

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch September 20, 1974

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 13-W

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