Officer Gary A. Yost, Sr.

Gary A. Yost, Sr.

Officer Gary Yost was shot and killed while moonlighting at the Shipper's Dispatch Truck Terminal at 999 Swartz Road in Akron.

Around 1:30 a.m., he heard a disturbance and witnessed five subjects stealing tires from the company. As he attempted to apprehend the subjects, a struggle ensued. One suspect gained control of his service weapon and shot him in the back.

All five suspects were apprehended. Two, ages 23 and 24, were tried and acquitted. Three, ages 22, 29, and 31, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The oldest was retried in 1978 and acquitted. The 29-year-old was granted a new trial in 1982 and released. The youngest was paroled in 1991 and sent back to prison in 1994 for violating his parole. He was rereleased in 2001 and returned to prison a year later for committing a drug offense. Released a third time in 2004, he was again sent back to prison in 2008 for another drug violation. He was denied parole in March 2012 and 2022. His next parole hearing will be in January 2029.

Officer Yost was a United States Army Korean War veteran and served with the Akron Police Department for 16 years. He was survived by his wife and four children.