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A Grand Prairie police officer died Monday morning from complications associated with COVID-19, the department announced.
Officer Andy MacDonald was a police officer for more than 22 years and most recently served in the department’s Community Services division.
“It is with heavy hearts that we notify you of a fallen Grand Prairie Police Officer. Please keep Andy’s family, as well as our entire police family, in your thoughts and prayers,” the department announced on Facebook.
A department spokesperson said MacDonald was heavily involved in engaging with the community and played an integral role in planning annual National Night Out celebrations.
MacDonald is survived by his wife.
MacDonald is the second North Texas police official to recently die of COVID-19 complications. Detective Rodney Mooneyham, 52, died Saturday after a “hard-fought battle” with COVID-19, the department said in a statement Sunday. Mooneyham had been with the department since November 2010 and had received nine commendations with the department.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on police departments nationwide. Since March 2020, 743 officers have died from COVID-19, according to the Fraternal Order of Police.
“COVID-19 makes no distinction between age, race or gender,” the organization wrote on its website. “As we had feared, the virus has claimed the lives of many, and now includes a growing number of law enforcement officers.”