PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — A school, a police department and an entire county is shaken by the sudden death of a young police officer.
Prince George's County Officer Davon McKenzie, 24, was struck and killed just before midnight Tuesday on his motorcycle on the Beltway. He was off-duty.
McKenzie had only been on the force for two years, but had already made a big impression on the department and with the young people at Wirt Middle School, where he was a school resource officer.
"He was here 24 hours ago, and now he's gone," Principal Rhonda Simley said.
The flag is now at half-staff in Riverdale. McKenzie had just been assigned to protect the middle school,
"Every time we would see him, he'd say, 'Are you working hard, or hardly working?'" Simley said. "And that's something we'll take pride in. Knowing his presence will all be etched in this school. He was a vital part of it, and he will be truly missed."
A crisis team is at the school helping teachers and students who are grieving.
"It's devastating for students to have this close encounter with the death of someone we loved," Simley said.
Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said all his commanders who knew McKenzie called him, "respectful, courteous, and thoughtful."
He called him "an exceptional young officer."
McKenzie grew up in Prince George's County, and settled down and bought a home there too.
"He was not doing anything but enjoying ... a few moments on his motorcycle," Chief Stawinski said.
Maryland State Police said McKenzie was headed southbound on the Inner Loop. A Nissan Altima was trying to merge on to the Beltway at Rt. 202, but didn't notice the slow-moving street sweeper in the right lane.
The Nissan Altima crashed into the sweeper, ran across traffic and hit McKenzie, who was on his Suzuki motorcycle. McKenzie was tossed over the median and into the northbound lanes, where he was hit by two more cars.
Maryland State Police are handling the crash investigation. A spokesman said they've consulted with the prosecutor, but have yet to file charges.
In car crashes, investigators often complete their work before filing charges. They want to keep a suspect from pleading out to a lesser offense and avoiding the maximum penalty.
But McKenzie's friends remember his big smile and his joking manner.
"The career that could have been," John Teletchea, police union president, said. "The lives that could have been touched."