Frederick Gaston professional, gentleman
"Now he's gone ... just like that."
The death of former Moss Point interim Police Chief Fred Gaston shocked and saddened law enforcement and residents across South Mississippi, especially in the four cities where he had lived since his teen years, and had worked for the past 18 years.
I heard about the Aug. 2 shooting on the following Sunday evening while watching WLOX news. Didn't want to believe it. My mind said "What! No! .... Right now, I can't describe completely the wave of denial that went through my heart.
That he was such a likeable person, a great personality was my underlying feeling. I'd just gotten to know him. Now he was gone ... just like that.
Well-Known Crime Fighter Murdered
The fact that he was shot during an attempted robbery made his death that much more of a tragedy.
... You never know how or when your time will be up. Most of us, anyway.
As a news reporter, I appreciated his cooperative attitude. While working at WKFK television station I'd talked to him about several stories, the first which was a minor-scandal about a Pascagoula resident who promoted a fishing rodeo in Moss Point then skipped town when the event didn't generate the participation and money he'd expected.
Turns out the flop was not intentional, but did generate both negative and positive publicity for Moss Point and Gaston, who, along with Recreation Director Donna Joseph, Jennifer Flanagan, secretary to the mayor, and other city personnel made extra efforts to minimize the damage to fishing tournament vendors and expectant participants.
Gaston said the fact that the tournament was held in Moss Point gave the city a black eye, but recreation officials said it didn't really affect the city's River Jamboree, though the promoter had attached the name of the tournament to the annual event.
As interim police chief, it was surprising how accessible he was to the media.
He didn't mind answering hard questions, but understandably kept some information unavailable to protect cases he and Moss Point officers were handling, such as with the fishing rodeo promoter and the controversy surrounding charges of police brutality in Moss Point. He was very professional and a gentleman, offering to help carry video camera equipment after our interviews were completed.
Though he was vying for the chief's job he'd held from January to June, and was disappointed he did not get it, he was supportive when former Pascagoula officer Shelia Smallman was chosen.
Gaston had said he enjoyed working in Moss Point; he liked the residents and believed they liked him. While interim chief and candidate he had progressive plans for improving technology in the Moss Point Police Department, something he'd done while working in Gulfport. He wanted more officers and pay increases, which Smallman also wanted, has requested and received.
He and Mayor Xavier Bishop traded hostile and accusatory words over the reason Gaston didn't get the nod for permanent police chief. Bishop accused Gaston of causing a decrease in officers; Gaston said Bishop ran them off.
(This blogger is happy for and supportive of the new chief, and as of now, Smallman seems to be doing a good job.)
Gaston went on to become an investigator with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, and Moss Point lost a good law enforcement officer. After his death, Sheriff Mike Byrd praised Gaston and provided media information about Gaston's shooting death in Gastonia, N.C.
Regardless of the flap with Mayor Bishop, Gaston may have gone on anyway. At the time, it seemed he was looking for more from his career than where he'd been before the interim chief's job. Until then, he'd been in administration while in Moss Point, though he had a broad background of police work while serving with the Gulfport Police Department.
Former Moss Point Police Chief Killed
Aug. 4, 2008
When Gaston was shot in the chest about midnight Aug. 2, he was on his way to Air Force Reserve training. He'd stopped to rest for the night at a Microtel motel, and was retrieving his belongings from his vehicle when accosted by two North Carolina teenagers and killed.
Rakcam Jamall Fleming, 16, of Gastonia and 17-year-old Tommy Dean Battiste of Bessemer City have been charged with first-degree murder. Battiste also has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
Progress in this case will be updated as appropriate. Readers may access links found in this post for facts about the shooting, law enforcement and community reaction to the death of Frederick Joiner Gaston's death, obituary, and visitation and funeral services that were handled by Riemann Family Funeral Home.
(Permission for use of obituary, photo granted by Riemann Family Funeral Home. Some information for public use.)
"Now he's gone ... just like that."
The death of former Moss Point interim Police Chief Fred Gaston shocked and saddened law enforcement and residents across South Mississippi, especially in the four cities where he had lived since his teen years, and had worked for the past 18 years.
I heard about the Aug. 2 shooting on the following Sunday evening while watching WLOX news. Didn't want to believe it. My mind said "What! No! .... Right now, I can't describe completely the wave of denial that went through my heart.
That he was such a likeable person, a great personality was my underlying feeling. I'd just gotten to know him. Now he was gone ... just like that.
Well-Known Crime Fighter Murdered
The fact that he was shot during an attempted robbery made his death that much more of a tragedy.
... You never know how or when your time will be up. Most of us, anyway.
As a news reporter, I appreciated his cooperative attitude. While working at WKFK television station I'd talked to him about several stories, the first which was a minor-scandal about a Pascagoula resident who promoted a fishing rodeo in Moss Point then skipped town when the event didn't generate the participation and money he'd expected.
Turns out the flop was not intentional, but did generate both negative and positive publicity for Moss Point and Gaston, who, along with Recreation Director Donna Joseph, Jennifer Flanagan, secretary to the mayor, and other city personnel made extra efforts to minimize the damage to fishing tournament vendors and expectant participants.
Gaston said the fact that the tournament was held in Moss Point gave the city a black eye, but recreation officials said it didn't really affect the city's River Jamboree, though the promoter had attached the name of the tournament to the annual event.
As interim police chief, it was surprising how accessible he was to the media.
He didn't mind answering hard questions, but understandably kept some information unavailable to protect cases he and Moss Point officers were handling, such as with the fishing rodeo promoter and the controversy surrounding charges of police brutality in Moss Point. He was very professional and a gentleman, offering to help carry video camera equipment after our interviews were completed.
Though he was vying for the chief's job he'd held from January to June, and was disappointed he did not get it, he was supportive when former Pascagoula officer Shelia Smallman was chosen.
Gaston had said he enjoyed working in Moss Point; he liked the residents and believed they liked him. While interim chief and candidate he had progressive plans for improving technology in the Moss Point Police Department, something he'd done while working in Gulfport. He wanted more officers and pay increases, which Smallman also wanted, has requested and received.
He and Mayor Xavier Bishop traded hostile and accusatory words over the reason Gaston didn't get the nod for permanent police chief. Bishop accused Gaston of causing a decrease in officers; Gaston said Bishop ran them off.
(This blogger is happy for and supportive of the new chief, and as of now, Smallman seems to be doing a good job.)
Gaston went on to become an investigator with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, and Moss Point lost a good law enforcement officer. After his death, Sheriff Mike Byrd praised Gaston and provided media information about Gaston's shooting death in Gastonia, N.C.
Regardless of the flap with Mayor Bishop, Gaston may have gone on anyway. At the time, it seemed he was looking for more from his career than where he'd been before the interim chief's job. Until then, he'd been in administration while in Moss Point, though he had a broad background of police work while serving with the Gulfport Police Department.
Former Moss Point Police Chief Killed
Aug. 4, 2008
When Gaston was shot in the chest about midnight Aug. 2, he was on his way to Air Force Reserve training. He'd stopped to rest for the night at a Microtel motel, and was retrieving his belongings from his vehicle when accosted by two North Carolina teenagers and killed.
Rakcam Jamall Fleming, 16, of Gastonia and 17-year-old Tommy Dean Battiste of Bessemer City have been charged with first-degree murder. Battiste also has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
Progress in this case will be updated as appropriate. Readers may access links found in this post for facts about the shooting, law enforcement and community reaction to the death of Frederick Joiner Gaston's death, obituary, and visitation and funeral services that were handled by Riemann Family Funeral Home.
(Permission for use of obituary, photo granted by Riemann Family Funeral Home. Some information for public use.)
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