Washington Chief Dies of Respiratory Failure After Stressful Arrest

Chief Randy Gibson of the Kalama (WA) Police Department died Tuesday from respiratory failure caused by cancer and a stressful arrest. (Photo: Kalama PD)

Kalama, WA, police Chief Randy Gibson died at home Tuesday evening after a long battle with cancer. He was 59.

Gibson’s death is being considered a line-of-duty death because he died after going into respiratory distress that was brought on by a high-stress arrest he performed Tuesday. According to a city press release, Gibson drove himself to the hospital. He was later discharged to his home at his own request, and he died there later in the day.

Gibson had been chief since October 2011, when he was chosen out of a big pool of applicants, TDN.com reports. He previously had been a lieutenant with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office in Springfield, Mo.