William Dean Poole, a 52-year-old white male, passed away on March 16, 2015, at his residence in Gastonia, North Carolina. Born on February 26, 1963, in Charleston, South Carolina, he was the son of Ivey Poole and Betty Clanton. Poole served in the Navy and was part of the flight crew on the John F. Kennedy during the Peacekeeping actions in Beirut.
On the day of his death, Poole had contacted the National Veterans Hotline, indicating his intention to kill himself and requesting that no
one be sent to his home. However, Gaston County police officers responded to the situation, and upon arrival, they reported that Poole fired at them first. In response, the officers shot and killed Poole.
There were no arrests or suspects in connection with Poole's death, as it was determined to be a police-involved shooting. No litigation or murder charges were filed, and the incident was classified as a case of self-defense by the responding officers. The investigation concluded that the officers acted in accordance with the law, and no further legal action was taken.
