An off-duty D.C. police officer was killed in a motorcycle crash early Friday as he headed home from a shift, authorities said.
Sgt. Jin Park, an 11-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department, was killed, the department said. He was assigned to the Fourth District.
Chief of Police Robert Contee relayed his condolences.
βIt is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of an admired and beloved MPD Sergeant. Our heartfelt sympathies are with the Park family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. Let us honor his memory and find strength in the knowledge that his actions with our department had a positive impact on all those around him,β Contee said in a statement.
Park was riding a motorcycle at about 5 a.m. Friday when the vehicle collided with a Toyota Prius at Piney Branch Road and Aspen Street in the Takoma area of Northwest D.C. Traffic was shut down, and the smashed motorcycle and car were seen being towed.
The driver of the Prius stayed on the crash scene and was not injured.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, police said. Investigators checked nearby homes to see if any surveillance cameras captured the crash.
Park is survived by his mother and brother, police said. His age was not immediately released.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.