Wichita woman says her husband was protecting family when shot

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May 23, 2012|By Chris Durden | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan.) — A deadly shooting over the weekend may have happened over an issue with stolen property. A 32-year-old man is now in jail accused of second degree murder. Wichita police provided updated information on the investigation into 49-year-old Robert Gammon's death.

Gammon was shot following an argument early Saturday morning. It happened near Broadway & East 44th St. South around 12:30 am.

Police say Gammon, his son and a friend went outside to investigate a noise in the backyard. They were armed with a pellet gun. Once outside, they saw two men armed with a handgun hiding in near the canal about 150 yards from the house.

Police say there was a confrontation and that's when one of the suspects shot Gammon four times. He was rushed to Via Christi - St. Francis in critical condition, where he later died.

“I lost my best friend and a good husband,” said Roberta Gammon. Roberta says they were woken up shortly after midnight on Saturday by a commotion outside.

“My husband reached under the mattress to get a weapon, like anybody that wants to protect our home,” said Roberta.

According to Roberta when her husband went outside two suspects were holding a gun to Robert’s 23-year old son and his friend.

“My husband jumps in front of his son and tells the guys to throw down weapons. They told my husband to throw his down and he said ‘I don't think so’ and they shot him,” Roberta said.

Roberta says her husband was shot four times including twice in the head and once in the chest.

“I'm very mad, I'm very angry,” said Roberta.

Mad and angry because instead of going to the hospital with her husband, Roberta and her 23-year old son were detained by police.

“I was not there with him (in surgery). When I was finally released I only got 15 to 20 minutes with him before he passed…my son never got to say goodbye to his dad,” Roberta said.

Roberta just celebrated her 24th anniversary with Robert; a life she says was taken too soon.

“What really upsets me is how long I was detained. They took precious time from me and that hurts,” Roberta said.

Police say the two suspects thought the friend of Gammon's son may have stolen something from them. It might have been a minibike or some gasoline, but police are still unsure of whether that was true.

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