Police Officer Russell Lowell Duncan, Apache Junction Police Department, Arizona

Police Officer Russell Lowell Duncan

Apache Junction Police Department, Arizona

End of Watch Wednesday, November 9, 1983

Add to My Heroes

Russell Lowell Duncan

Police Officer Russell Duncan was accidentally shot and killed during a training exercise at Central Arizona College in Coolidge.

Officer Duncan was posing as a suspect during a felony stop and arrest exercise. The officer making the arrest was using his duty weapon, which had not been properly cleared prior to the training.

Officer Duncan had served with the Apache Junction Police Department for five months and previously served with the Michigan State Police for 5-1/2 years. He was survived by his wife and three daughters.

Bio

Age 28
Tour 6 years
Badge 19

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire (Inadvertent)

accidental discharge, training

LODD Mapping FAQs

Most Recent Reflection

View all 45 Reflections

I was a student at CAC, and witnessed this tragic accident. I was a theater major, and was there waiting for a cast list to be posted. While I waited, I decided to watch the police officers conduct mock arrest scenarios in the parking lot that was right next to Pence Center (theater). At first, I thought it was a blank fired, but when he fell to the ground...I began to realize that it might be the real thing. And then it was painfully clear, when the other poor officer who fired the shot, fell to his knees, curling up and weeping inconsolably.
I was only about 20 yards away. For weeks after, I would suddenly choke up and start crying. In the middle of class. At the dinner table. At a stop light. It would come out of nowhere....Not only from the trauma of witnessing it, but also the agonizing sympathy for both officers and their families. I'll never forget it.

James Sullivan
Former CAC student 1982-1984

September 13, 2025