In the winter of 1982, a violent encounter on a rural highway in Woodward County, Oklahoma, set in motion the tragic death of Sheriff Albert C. Gaston, a 70-year-old lawman. On the afternoon of January 6th, Sheriff Gaston was investigating a potential burglary when he spotted the suspect's vehicle parked along State Highway 34. As he approached the car, a passenger emerged and opened fire with a. 38 caliber revolver, striking the sheriff in the chest. Despite his grievous injury, Gaston managed to return fire, wounding his assailant.
The man who shot Sheriff Gaston, a 23-year-old suspect, was taken into custody. He was later convicted of assault with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury, receiving a lengthy prison sentence. For four years, Sheriff Gaston endured the consequences of that roadside shooting. His long and dedicated career in law enforcement, spanning 17 years with the Woodward County Sheriff's Office, was irrevocably altered.
Ultimately, the severe wound he sustained proved fatal. On February 12, 1986, Sheriff Albert C. Gaston succumbed to the gunshot wound he had received four years prior. The suspect in his shooting was eventually released from prison on October 4, 2013. Sheriff Gaston was survived by his wife.
