Officer Dan D. De Kraai

Dan D. De Kraai

Officer Dan De Kraai was accidentally shot and killed during a break while participating in weapons training for the agency's Special Response Team at the Neely School.

Officer De Kraai and other officers were participating in training scenarios using Simunitions. During a break, Officer De Kraai and another officer replaced the Simunitions weapons with their service weapons before going to a nearby convenience store.

When they returned to the training area, Officer De Kraai asked the other officer to shoot him with a Simunition round so he could experience how it felt. Forgetting that he had transitioned back to his service weapon, the other officer fired a single live round, fatally striking Officer De Kraai in the back.

Officer De Kraai was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wound.

Officer De Kraai had served with the St. Joseph Police Department for six years. He is survived by his wife and young daughter.