A ‘damn good cop’: Slain Sacramento County Deputy Adam Gibson honored at funeral
Rachel Gibson held her 9-month-old daughter, Sophie, in her right arm Wednesday as she spoke about her late husband, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Gibson. She remembered he would always say not to worry because he was “a damn good cop.”
“And you are, but you’re also a damn good father and a damn good husband,” she said to her husband as she spoke to family, friends and law enforcement officials gathered to honor the slain deputy. Sophie “will always know who you are, and you will always be our hero ... Sophie and I will love you the most.”
Gibson, 31, was a six-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office when he was killed Jan. 18. He died at a hospital hours after the suspect in a brief vehicle pursuit opened fire on him, another deputy and a K-9 named Riley. The dog was also killed, and the second deputy was recovering from injuries.
The suspect, 46-year-old Robert Stephen Calderon, also was killed in the shootout on Cal Expo grounds.
Funeral services for Gibson were held Wednesday at the Bayside Church Adventure Campus in Roseville. The services were not open to the general public due to COVID-19 restrictions, and there was limited attendance reserved only for invited law enforcement officials.
Gibson’s wife said her husband’s life changed once his daughter was born, and she enjoyed watching his bond with his daughter grow over the past several months. She said her husband had already started noticing his daughter’s personality starting to show, and he couldn’t wait to do a lot of things with her.
“I want to be mad, and I want to yell at you. But I can only hear your sarcastic voice making fun of me saying ‘babe, just love me. Babe, be proud,’” Rachel Gibson said to her late husband. “And that’s exactly what I am, I’m so proud of you.”
Gibson also leaves behind his parents and several siblings. His sisters remembered him as a “momma’s boy” as a child who grew up to be a protective and caring brother who found direction and purpose in the Sheriff’s Office after his time with the U.S. Marine Corps serving two tours in Afghanistan.
The Sheriff’s Office awarded him a Bronze Star for Bravery and a Major Incident Ribbon in 2018. He received the Bronze Star for directing a tour bus to drive under a pedestrian bridge over Highway 99 in Elk Grove, where a man was threatening to commit suicide. The bus was there to catch the man just before he lost his grip and fell, saving the man from injury.
Sgt. Brett Schannep of the sheriff’s K-9 Unit said Gibson’s face would always light up when he spoke about his wife and daughter after becoming a proud father. He said Gibson also had an ability not to take anything too seriously while excelling at his profession.
“He was the superhero of our team. He was our Superman,” Schannep said while giving his personal eulogy for Gibson.
Deputy Jeb Trummel, also of the K-9 Unit, said his “greatest fear came true” after learning of Gibson’s death. He said Gibson was a high-performing K-9 handler with numerous successful surrenders. apprehensions and gun finds.
“You are greatly missed. You will never be forgotten, and you will always be in our hearts,” Trummel said to Gibson during the memorial service at the church. “Our team will never be the same.”
Sheriff Scott Jones said Gibson gave up his life for his community to be safer, like all other fellow law enforcement officials across the country. He told members of the Sheriff’s Office to honor Gibson by putting on their uniforms each day and follow Gibson’s example.
“There’s just evil in this world, and we’re the guardians against that evil,” Jones said at Wednesday’s memorial for Gibson. “That’s what Adam did, he stood up to that evil.”
The sheriff told Gibson’s widow, “I’m sorry I couldn’t return Adam home safe.” But Jones reminded her the Sheriff’s Office will remain a part of her extended family, and they will be there for her and her daughter whenever they need support.
“Thank you for living your life with courage and honor,” Jones said to the fallen deputy. “We will always honor you and never forget you.”
The memorial services in the church were followed by a law enforcement procession led by sheriff’s vehicles accompanying Gibson to a cemetery in north Sacramento County for other law enforcement honors and a private graveside service.
Sheriff’s officials encouraged the public to show their support by lining the sidewalks along the procession route on Highway 65 and Interstate 80 from the Roseville church to East Lawn Mortuary & Sierra Hills Memorial Park.
Gibson was the first Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty since September 2018, when Deputy Mark Stasyuk was shot and killed at an auto parts store in Rancho Cordova in what Jones called an “extensive” firefight.
The Sheriff’s Office also encouraged the public to share memories of Gibson via an email address: RememberingAdam@sacsheriff.com
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 2:49 PM.
