Loved ones remember Crowley ISD ROTC leader fatally shot in Fort Worth

A family is mourning the loss of a father and beloved Crowley ISD Junior ROTC leader who was tragically shot and killed. Fort Worth police reported that 54-year-old Gene Bass was outside his home on Friday afternoon when a family member fatally shot him in a drive-by. The suspect was later arrested in Georgia.

Loved ones told NBC 5 that Bass’s legacy of serving others will endure. From a young age, Gene Bass enjoyed being part of a team. He played football in Buffalo, New York, before enlisting in the military.

“He was a real good father. He had a good heart,” said Michael Bass, Gene’s brother.

After leaving the armed forces, Gene Bass continued to serve by becoming a Junior ROTC leader in Crowley ISD. In this role, he helped students overcome adversity and prepare for military service.

“He wanted to be like a vessel, you know, to show these kids how to do it and how to do it right so that they could have something to look forward to,” said Michael Bass.

As devoted Buffalo Bills fans, the family had been looking forward to Gene’s next trip up for a game this fall. Then, on Friday, the unthinkable happened.

“My sister called me and gave me the news,” Michael Bass said. “And it was just devastation from there.”

Fort Worth police reported that on the afternoon of June 28, Bass was in his front yard on Chesapeake Bay Drive when a family member shot and killed him in a drive-by. The suspect was eventually arrested in Valdosta, Georgia.

“I was in disbelief, I was in shock, I’m still in shock,” Michael Bass said. “I’m numb right now. It’s hard to think, it’s hard to focus, it’s hard to eat, it’s hard to sleep.”

Crowley ISD informed families of the loss in a message: “As you and your child may know, we have lost a treasured member of our NCHS JROTC family. Master Sergeant Gene Bass passed away Friday, June 28. The Fort Worth Police Department is investigating his death.”

“This is an incredibly sad time for all of us, especially those who knew MSG Bass as an instructor and friend,” the statement continued. “He was an outstanding educator and colleague, and he touched the lives of countless students and staff.”

The district offered counseling services for students impacted by the loss, particularly those in the JROTC program.

“That was his way of being part of the military but not being in the military,” said Michael Bass.

Tributes to Bass have poured in on social media, with former students recalling his kindness and how he encouraged them to succeed through difficult times. The family said they would honor his memory by establishing a Junior ROTC scholarship.

“We want justice and as swiftly as possible,” said Michael Bass. “And I just want Gene to be remembered as the great guy he was and the military guy he was.”