United States of America
Jacob Joseph Chestnut
1998
Jacob Joseph Chestnut served the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. Jacob served in the Vietnam War and the Cold War.
How He Died
Manner
Homicide
Cause
Gunshot wound
Mechanism
Firearm
What Happened
Officer Jacob Chestnut was shot and killed when a suspect entered a main entrance to the United States Capitol and opened fire after walking through a metal detector.
Officer Chestnut was stationed at the entrance of the building and was in the process of writing directions for two tourists when he was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range. The suspect then entered the office of Congressman Tom DeLay.
Detective John Gibson, who was assigned to protect Congressman DeLay, was immediately engaged in a gunfight with the suspect, at which point he was shot. Despite being mortally wounded, Detective Gibson was able to return fire and wounded the suspect.
The suspect was known to the United States Secret Service prior to the incident as a person who had threatened the President of the United States. The suspect was found mentally unfit to stand trial. He remains in the psychiatric center of the Butner Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.
He is buried in section 4, lot 2764-A of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Officer Chestnut was stationed at the entrance of the building and was in the process of writing directions for two tourists when he was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range. The suspect then entered the office of Congressman Tom DeLay.
Detective John Gibson, who was assigned to protect Congressman DeLay, was immediately engaged in a gunfight with the suspect, at which point he was shot. Despite being mortally wounded, Detective Gibson was able to return fire and wounded the suspect.
The suspect was known to the United States Secret Service prior to the incident as a person who had threatened the President of the United States. The suspect was found mentally unfit to stand trial. He remains in the psychiatric center of the Butner Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.
He is buried in section 4, lot 2764-A of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Keepsakes
Service Record
Also Served
United States Capitol Police
Officer
Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Section
4
Grave
2764-A
In Our Keeping
Permanent identifier
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Record added
August 2, 2026
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Last updated
August 2, 2026
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