Albert C. Gaston
Agency patch
Sheriff

Albert C. Gaston

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 12, 1986
Age 70
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Badge 1
The Vigil Panel 130 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sheriff Gaston succumbed to a gunshot wound received four years earlier while investigating a possible burglary in a rural part of Woodward County. Sheriff Gaston was responding to the scene at 2 pm when he observed the suspect's vehicle parked on the shoulder of State Highway 34 south of U.S. Highway 270. As Sheriff Gaston approached the car, the passenger exited and opened fire with a .38 caliber revolver, striking Sheriff Gaston in the chest. The sheriff was able to return fire and wound the suspect. The 23-year-old suspect was taken into custody, convicted of assault with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, and sentenced to 144 years in prison. He was released on October 4, 2013. Sheriff Gaston had served with the Woodward County Sheriff's Office for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-245CA10B
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Albert is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sheriff Gaston gave the Woodward County Sheriff's Office 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Woodward community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Gaston.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Woodward, Woodward County, OK
Platform Identity wcso.woodward.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 12, 1986
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 70
Badge Number 1
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Albert C. Gaston served in the U.S. Army (1943–1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sheriff Albert C. Gaston is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Woodward County Sheriff's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
OK — Statewide
403
of 582 officers
69.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Albert C. Gaston's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Albert C. Gaston Compares

Age at Death
70
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Albert C. Gaston is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Albert C. Gaston was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Albert C. Gaston served in the U.S. Army (1943–1945) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Albert C. Gaston’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Woodward County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.