Officer Mack Wesley Cantrell

Mack Wesley Cantrell

Officer Mack Cantrell succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on March 9th, 1977, when a Muslim terrorist group took over the District Building and two other nearby buildings.

During the attack, the terrorists murdered a local journalist and shot a member of the District of Columbia councilman. Officer Cantrell was struck in the head with buckshot during the incident before the terrorists took dozens of hostages. The hostages were eventually freed following extended negotiations involving the ambassadors of Pakistan, Iran, and Egypt.

All the hostage-takers were taken into custody and subsequently convicted of numerous crimes. The leader of the group was sentenced to 21 to 120 years in prison. He died at Federal Correctional Institute Butner on November 13th, 2003.

Officer Cantrell recovered enough from his wounds to return to duty on June 19th, 1977 but suffered a fatal heart attack on his first day back. He was taken to a local hospital where he passed away on July 4th, 1977.

Officer Cantrell was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the District of Columbia Protective Services Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and one granddaughter.