Metropolitan Police Department, District of Columbia
End of Watch: Tuesday, May 21, 1918
Age: 63
Tour of Duty: 43 years
Badge Number: LIEUTENANT
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 21, 1918
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and wounded
Lieutenant David Dunigan was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a murder suspect who had shot and killed two other officers earlier in the day.
Officer John Conrad and Deputy Lawrence McParlin, of the Charles County Sheriff's Office, MD, attempted to serve a warrant on a subject at 76 I Street, NW when the subject shot and killed them.
The suspect fled to 1400 Carrollsburg Place, SW, where Lieutenant Dunigan confronted him. During the ensuing shootout, Lieutenant Dunigan wounded the suspect as well.
The suspect escaped but was recaptured and hanged on January 22, 1925, after claiming 12 murders, including Patrolman William Holmes of Chicago.
Lieutenant Dunigan had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 43 years assigned to the Fourth Precinct. He was survived by five adult children.
He is buried in Olivet Cemetery, Washington, DC.