On this date (April 19) 1923, a father and mother lost a son, his five sisters lost a brother, his one brother lost a brother and Dallas lost a Police Officer.
Patrolman (Motorcycle Assignment) Johnnie C. Gibson, Badge Number 41, age 22, was shot and killed while investigating the burglary of a pharmacy.
At approximately 3:45 a.m. Patrolman Gibson and his partner Henry D. Nobles, both assigned to patrol duty observed a suspicious light in the Grant’s Drug Store located on the corner of Ross Avenue and North Hall Street.
Both Officers parked their motorcycles mid block and walked towards the pharmacy at which time Patrolman Nobles informed Patrolman Gibson he would go to the rear of the pharmacy.
Patrolman Gibson approached the front door of the pharmacy and was shot in the neck and abdomen from a .38 caliber revolver fired by one of the two burglars inside.
Immediately both suspects exited the front door and ran west on Ross Avenue. Patrolman Nobles reported he heard four gun shots and ran to the front of the pharmacy and found Patrolman Gibson laying on the sidewalk at the open front door of the pharmacy.
Patrolman Nobles said he could not determine the race or age of the suspects as they were about one block away.
Patrolman Gibson was pronounced dead at the scene as a massive manhunt and investigation was launched by the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff and the Texas Rangers.
On May 24, 1923, slightly more than one month after the murder of Patrolman Gibson, Special Officer John Richard Crain, age 55, was shot and killed as he investigated suspicious activity at the Browne Pharmacy, 3300 Junius Street. It was determined the same weapon was utilized in both murders.
A five hundred dollar reward was offered for information regarding these two murders and several people came forward and identified the suspects as Ernest Lawson and Blaine Dyer. With this information these suspects were soon located, arrested and indicted for both murders and five additional burglaries.
They were tired separately, both found guilty and both received the death penalty. They were both executed on March 28, 1924 after several attempts at appeals failed.
Patrolman Johnnie C. Gibson, a eight month veteran of the Dallas Police Department is interred at Western Heights Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.