The Gaston County Police Department announced Wednesday that High Point Police Detective David Rosser has died unexpectedly at age 42 after what officials described as a medical emergency.
Rosser was a veteran investigator with the department’s violent-crimes unit and a familiar face, and voice, across the region. Over his career, he also served as a firearms instructor, crisis negotiator and member of the civil emergency unit. Information on memorial services has not yet been released.
In a public statement, the High Point Police Department shared that Rosser joined the force in 2008 and built a wide-ranging resume that included work with the department’s honor guard. He was also one of only a handful of officers in the region known for playing the bagpipes. The department asked the community to keep Rosser’s family and colleagues in their thoughts and to respect the family’s privacy, according to the Gaston County Police Department.
A Familiar Sound At Memorials
Rosser’s bagpipes had become a steady presence at law-enforcement memorials and funerals across the Triad for more than a decade, a somber soundtrack that colleagues and families had come to recognize.
The Rhino Times recorded his performance of “Amazing Grace” at a Guilford County memorial in 2019, and a 2016 memorial program likewise lists Officer David Rosser among the event’s performers, per the event program.
High Point Police said the department will make sure Rosser’s family receives support as they grieve and asked that questions about services be directed to the agency at a later time. The original announcement also underscored the family’s need for privacy while arrangements are being made, according to the same post.
