Indianola Police Department, Mississippi
End of Watch: Wednesday, May 21, 1980
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: May 21, 1980
Weapon Used: Edged weapon
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 15 years
Corporal Willie Hammond was killed while responding to a disturbance and trespassing call at Carver Elementary School.
The school's principal had called the police to report that a man was inside causing a disturbance and refusing to leave. As Corporal Hammond arrived he located the man on Jefferson Street next to the school. The man then attached Corporal Hammond as he exited the patrol car. Corporal Hammond was stabbed in the neck during the struggle before the man disarmed him and struck him several times with his slapjack.
The subject then started to walk away but opened fire on other arriving officers. One of the officers returned fire with a shotgun and wounded the man.
Corporal Hammond was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The man was charged with capital murder but accepted a plea deal in which he plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was later shot and killed during a confrontation with the Clarksdale Police Department after being released from prison.
Corporal Hammond had served with the Indianola Police Department for four years. He was survived by his expectant wife.