Man Who Knew Toll of Violence Becomes Victim

Kevin Waterston dealt with the dead every day in his job removing bodies for the Fresno County coroner’s office, but he never got used to random, senseless killings.

Friday night, Waterston became one of those victims of random, senseless violence when he was shot to death while trying to prevent a car theft.

“He was in pain over the shootings and death he saw, and then he winds up being a victim,” said his brother, Bob Waterston.

Police had made no arrests by Monday but suspected that the killing might be related to juvenile gangs. Ironically, Bob Waterston, a Fresno fire captain, is heavily involved in gang intervention.

“I lost my brother to the exact same people I am trying to help,” Bob Waterston said. “This is also the first time in my entire life I have felt like a victim. But I feel that the person who killed my brother is also a victim.”

Police said Kevin Waterston and his fiancee saw two youths trying to steal a car at a downtown apartment complex where he lived and that is managed by his mother. He went to his apartment and called 911, then got his handgun and ordered the driver out of the car.

The driver swerved but missed Waterston, then tried unsuccessfully to crash through a metal gate.

A third person who apparently was serving as a lookout fired several shots, hitting Waterston in the back of the head. The three youths then fled on foot.

Bob Waterston said he will not allow his brother’s death to end his efforts to help juveniles avoid trouble.

“I’m not going to stop,” he said. “I’m going to do all the things people depend on me to do.”

He called youths who kill “residues from a bad system,” and said he refuses to give in to anger over his brother’s death.

“I don’t want to just hate somebody; nothing ever comes of that,” Waterston said. “We must focus on tomorrow and keep going because we can’t do anything about yesterday.”