Bio & Incident Details
Age: 58
Tour: 18 years
Badge # Not available
Military veteran
Cause: Gunfire
Location: District of Columbia
Incident Date: 7/24/1998
Weapon: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect: Found incompetent
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Officer Jacob Chestnut was shot and killed when a suspect entered a main entrance to the United States Capitol and opened fire after walking through a metal detector. Officer Chestnut was stationed at the entrance of the building and was in the process of writing directions for two tourists when he was shot in the back of the head at point blank range. The suspect then entered the office of Congressman Tom DeLay.
Detective John Gibson, who was assigned to protect Congressman DeLay, was immediately engaged in a gunfight with the suspect at which point he was shot. Despite being mortally wounded, Detective Gibson was able to return fire and wounded the suspect.
The suspect was known to the United States Secret Service prior to the incident as a person who had threatened the President of the United States. The suspect, who was shot and wounded by Agent Gibson, was found mentally unfit to stand trial.
Officer Chestnut served two tours of duty as an Military Policeman in the Vietnam War. He is survived by his wife and five children and is buried in section 4, lot 2764-A of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Related Line of Duty Deaths
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Detective John Michael Gibson |




