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Marcus Preston Willis
Agency patch
Officer

Marcus Preston Willis

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Accident
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch December 27, 1965
Age 26
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 521
The Vigil Panel 101 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 130

Incident

Officer Marcus Willis was accidentally shot and killed by another officer while attempting to arrest a man while off duty. He and his partner, Officer Smallwood, became involved in a traffic altercation at 4501 Benning Road, NE, and attempted to arrest the driver. A struggle ensued and Officer Smallwood struck the suspect on the head with his service revolver, causing the weapon to discharge. The discharged round struck Officer Willis in the head, killing him. Officer Willis had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for one year and was assigned to the Vice Squad at the Ninth Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and 6-week-old son.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Officer Willis 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 Willis.

— 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 December 27, 1965
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 26
Badge Number 521
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Marcus is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 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 1965, 56 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 83rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Marcus was 26. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Marcus had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Marcus Preston Willis

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch December 27, 1965

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-E

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