Russell Gibson
Russell Gibson was a member of the Central Park gang in the 1920s. The Central Park gang operated in and around Tulsa Oklahoma, not Manhattan as implied by its name, and was a training ground of a sorts for several gang members of the thirties, including Alvin Karpis and Arthur “Doc” Barker. Wilbur Underhill spent some of his formative years with the Central Park gang as well. While with the gang Gibson participated in his first robbery, that of a bank messenger who was supposed to be carrying $75,000.
Gibson was arrested for the robbery attempt and held for trial. Shortly after his arrest he escaped from custody, whether this was with the assistance of the Central Park gang or he simply took advantage of an opportunity when it presented itself is unknown. His accomplices in the robbery were Neil Merritt and Cowboy Long, and his escape drew the attention of Alvin Karpis and Doc Barker.
Gibson began an association with the Barker-Karpis gang in the early 1930s, joining that extended group in several robberies. Gibson joined the gang around the time that Doc Barker returned after being paroled in Oklahoma. In addition to bank robberies, the Barker gang was involved in kidnaping activities, and also had dealings with several fences and underworld connected doctors. Some of the Barker activities were resented by the Chicago Outfit and other organized crime activities in Chicago and St. Paul, putting additional pressure on its members.
As the gang began to collapse under pressure from the FBI following the Bremer kidnaping, Gibson went into hiding in Chicago, along with Byron Bolton and Doc Barker. An FBI raid on their location took on the appearance of a bad movie. Rather than wait for local officers as directed, the FBI tear-gassed the wrong apartment, giving warning to the gangsters. After the FBI raided the wrong apartment local officers arrived, believing the officers in the wrong place to be the gangsters they nearly opened fire, and a shootout between law enforcement was barely averted.
Gibson attempted to escape in the confusion by going down a fire escape while wearing a bulletproof vest. Several FBI agents had remained on the ground outside and quickly spotted Gibson, who was carrying a Browning Automatic Rifle. Gibson was killed by rifle fire from the agents.