"Heroes Live Forever" - the story of D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Brian Gibson

On a quiet winter night in 1997, D.C. Police Officer Brian Gibson was sitting in his marked cruiser at a traffic light when he was brutally assassinated by a man seeking revenge against police.

D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Brian T. Gibson

McLean, VA (September 23, 2025) - By all accounts, Brian T. Gibson, 28, was a top cop, one of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department’s very finest. On a quiet winter night on February 5, 1997, this husband and father of two was sitting in his marked patrol car at a traffic light when a man walked up and fatally shot him four times at point-blank range. It was a senseless act of violence committed by a drunken man fueled with rage and out for revenge against police. Moments before the shooting, Brian’s killer had been ejected from a nearby nightclub by an off-duty D.C. police officer working security at the club. The man had been drinking heavily and became unruly in the club. After getting thrown out, the man became enraged and wanted to kill a cop—any cop. Officer Gibson was the first cop he saw and became his unsuspecting target. Within minutes, the assassin was arrested by police and he was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Brian was survived by his wife, Tracie and two young children. In addition, he left behind a sister, Terrica, and his parents, Shirley and Harrison Gibson. Shirley became a beloved and inspirational figure in the law enforcement community. She served as the national president of the Concerns of Police Survivors and was a pillar of hope and support to thousands of others who lost a loved one in law enforcement service. Listen to the podcast to learn more: https://open.substack.com/pub/behindbadge/p/heroes-live-forever-the-story-of-c49