Lieutenant William Louis Skinner

William Louis Skinner

Lieutenant William Skinner was shot and killed during a standoff with a group of militants who were barricaded in a house. Lieutenant Skinner was standing beneath a tree when he was struck in the head by a single round that had been fired from underneath the house.

Another Jackson officer and a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent were also wounded during the shootout.

Eleven suspects were arrested and charged with Lieutenant Skinner's murder. Only a few of the suspects were convicted and sentenced to very short sentences.

Lieutenant Skinner had served with the Jackson Police Department for 11 years. He was survived by three sons, all of whom became law enforcement officers.

The Black Liberation Army was a violent, radical group that attempted to fight for independence from the United States government in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The BLA was responsible for the murders of more than 10 police officers around the country. They were also responsible for violent attacks around the country that left many police officers wounded.