San Francisco Police Department, California
End of Watch Saturday, October 1, 1977
Add to My HeroesDouglas E. Gibbs
Officer Douglas Gibbs was shot and fatally wounded as he was placing a man under arrest for pickpocketing near the intersection of Jones Street and Golden Gate Avenue.
Officer Gibbs was a member of the police decoy unit. After setting up an operation, the unit moved in on a suspect for an arrest. After the suspect was apprehended, he was placed on the hood of Officer Gibbs' car so he could be searched. As Officer Gibbs was conducting the search, another suspect walked up behind him and shot him twice in the back. He died from his wounds five days later.
The shooting suspect, 33, later surrendered to police. He had been paroled one year earlier after serving a short sentence for beating to death a 93-year-old man. The suspect had been in trouble with the law since he was 13 years old. His long criminal record included robbery, burglary, child molestation, assault, and murder. In 1969 he was convicted of murdering a retired sea captain and seriously wounding his wife. After a few days in prison, he was released because of a legal technicality. On June 2, 1978, he was convicted of Officer Gibb's murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Officer Gibbs had served with the San Francisco Police Department for five years. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.
Bio
- Age 27
- Tour 5 years
- Badge 193
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Incident Date Monday, September 26, 1977
- Weapon Handgun
- Offender Sentenced to life
Most Recent Reflection
View all 20 ReflectionsI went to Junior High, High School, City College and a partner of his with SFPD. We worked together as partners at Mission Station. I've thought about you and us going to school together and working patrol in the Mission area of the city. I went undercover and left Doug to find another partner. I didn't find out about Doug's misfortune immediately due to being on industrial injury. I attended his memorial and burial not stopping to think if we or I had stayed on patrol at Company D. You're on my mind often.
ExPartner Bruce Bushner Badge 2010
Ex SFPD partner and friend.
March 1, 2024
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