Sheriff Charlie Ashby Gum

Charlie Ashby Gum

Sheriff Charlie Gum was shot and killed after he and a deputy responded to investigate reports of a man causing a disturbance.

During the course of a boxing match, the suspect had eventually picked up a stick of stove wood and beat his opponent, a young boy. The Sheriff was called and he responded to the lodge. Upon his arrivial he deputized another citizen. The suspect shot at the sheriff and the Sheriff returned fire and hit the suspect, who was able to crawl off and was found dead the next day in a fence row nearby. The suspect's son picked up his father's gun and shot the Sheriff in the face and killed him instantly. The deputy wounded the young shooter and he was taken to a hospital in Clifton Forge to recover from his injuries. Some months later, the shooter was tried for the murder of Sheriff Gum and was convicted. He was sentenced to 25 years in the state prison and ordered not to come back to Bath County ever again.

Sheriff Gum had served with the Bath County Sheriff's Office for 27 years. He was survived by his wife and four children.