Relatives of a 28-year-old Fort Worth man say they want answers, not theories, after he died when his car crashed during a police pursuit late Monday. Family members identified him as Kendrick Gibson, a father of six who was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle hit a concrete pillar beneath the I-35W overpass near Pharr Street. The family says Gibson was alone in the car and remains deeply skeptical of the department's claim that his vehicle was tied to an aggravated kidnapping case.
Family says he was on the phone as officers closed in
According to WFAA, relatives said Gibson had just left his grandmother's house when officers tried to pull him over. Loved ones quickly converged on the scene and demanded transparency from Fort Worth police. The station reports cousin Asia Taylor and grandmother Debbie Gibson spoke with reporters, while the mother of his children, Juanita Moreno, told the outlet she was on the phone with Gibson as officers approached and heard him ask why they were stopping him. Family members told the station they want dashcam and body-worn camera footage released so the public can see for itself what happened in the final moments of the chase.
Police say the stop was tied to a kidnapping probe
As reported by The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth police said officers initiated a traffic stop shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday in connection with an aggravated kidnapping investigation, but the driver fled north on I-35W. Police say the car lost control after taking the Pharr Street exit and slammed into a concrete pillar under the overpass, and that the sole occupant was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators have not publicly explained why they believed the vehicle was linked to a kidnapping in the first place.
Family demands footage and answers
Relatives told WFAA they do not believe Gibson was involved in any kidnapping and say the department needs to back up its claims. They want evidence, a clear narrative of what prompted the attempted stop, and a public release of the video. "If this were an alleged kidnapping, where is the victim in this?" Gibson's cousin Asia Taylor asked at the scene, according to the station. The family says it intends to keep pressing for transparency as the investigation plays out.
Why this matters
As reported by KERA News, Fort Worth has resisted making its full vehicle-pursuit policy public, a stance that has prompted public-records battles and criticism after previous chase-related deaths. That history helps explain why families like Gibson's are now pushing so hard for camera footage and detailed explanations when a pursuit ends with someone dead on the pavement.
Investigators working the case
According to The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Police Department's Traffic Investigation Unit and Major Case Unit are handling the probe. Detectives are expected to release more information after confirming the circumstances that led up to the attempted stop and subsequent chase. Officials said the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office will formally identify the driver after next-of-kin notification.
