A Washington, DC, police officer died Wednesday after a gun he was trying to retrieve from a storm drain accidentally went off and shot him in the head, officials said.

Wayne David, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department for over 25 years, was on duty when he was struck by the accidental gunfire.

He was rushed to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, the D.C. Police Union wrote on X.

“Wayne is a true hero to the District of Columbia, and today he gave his life to serve the visitors and the residents here,” Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said during a news conference. “We will never forget that.”

According to Carroll, earlier in the day Wednesday, officers saw someone jump out of a suspicious vehicle and throw a gun into a storm drain before fleeing on the back of a motorcycle.

Police were trying to get the gun out of the drain when it went off, striking David at least once, Carroll said.

Police are searching for the suspect who placed the gun in the drain, he added.

Police released photos of the suspect, who was described as a man with long dreads, last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue shorts.

“The impact of guns on our community is unbearable. It is hard to accept that a man who came to work to protect our city won’t return home,” DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement. “Tonight, I am praying for Investigator David’s family and loved ones and I’m praying for the officers who put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect DC.”

The police investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

During his decades of service, David had recovered hundreds of guns across the city, Caroll said, according to WTOP.

With Post wires