Real heroes never see themselves as heroes. Which makes Deputy Adam Gibson a real hero.
Deputy Gibson was gunned down during a shootout Tuesday morning with a suspect who was also killed. Another deputy was wounded and is expected to recover. Deputy Gibson’s K-9, Riley, was also killed in the incident near Cal-Expo.
Putting his life on the line and literally sacrificing himself for the safety of the rest of us weren’t Deputy Gibson’s first heroics, either.
In 2018, his compassion and quick thinking saved a man from committing suicide from an overpass on highway 99.
“The gentleman was trying to climb back over the fence (of the overpass) for safety” Captain Jim Barnes told us on Thursday morning’s show. “And he lost his grip.” Luckily, moments before, Deputy Gibson had commandeered a tourist bus and had parked it beneath the man, so instead of falling to the road deck below, he only fell a few short feet to the top of the bus, where Deputy Gibson helped him down.
Captain Barnes, who was Deputy Gibson’s commander at the time, told us he was impressed with his creative approach to bringing an end to the emergency safely and that he hoped the deputy to do some press interviews to talk about it. “He was begging me not to do it” Captain Barnes laughed. “He didn’t want any attention…’this is just what I do. It’s my job‘”.
We’re not sure if Deputy Gibson ever ended up doing any interviews, but he did receive a bronze star for bravery- which his Captain nominated him for. Gibson, who was only 31 and is survived by a young wife and child, also did two tours in Afghanistan as a Marine, and earned the “Navy Achievement Medal With An Act Of Valor” after saving the lives of two teams that had come under enemy fire.
Hero, indeed.
The CHP Credit Union has established a memorial fund for Deputy Gibson’s family, which you can find out more about, here
And if you’d like to hear our full interview with Captain Barnes, just click below.