A decorated Alexandria Police Officer, Patrolman First Class David Christopher Ezernack, a male, tragically lost his life in the line of duty. He had served with the Alexandria Police Department for nearly four years and had been recognized as the VFW Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2002. His father had also served the same department, retiring as the chief of police.
The fatal incident unfolded when Ezernack and his fellow officers of the Special Response Team were attempting to
gather evidence against a suspect at a residence on Wise Street. The suspect was wanted in connection with an ambush on another officer the previous day, where he had fired multiple shots from an automatic weapon into a patrol car. Unbeknownst to the officers, the suspect was present at the location.
Upon the officers' arrival, the suspect opened fire, initiating a gun battle that lasted for over twenty minutes. In the exchange of gunfire, both Patrolman First Class Ezernack and another officer, Patrolman Jeremy Carruth, were fatally wounded. Ezernack succumbed to his injuries five hours after being shot, while Carruth was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Three other officers sustained injuries during the confrontation. The suspect, a convicted felon who had violated his parole, was also killed in the shootout.
