Black Panther Party for Self Defense, Police Confrontation

Title: Black Panther Party for Self Defense, Police Confrontation
Source: Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University
Description: The confrontation began when two police officers attempted to issue ordinance violation tickets to two men who were selling newspapers on the sidewalk. The accounts of what happened next vary, however, a fight broke out between the officers and members of the crowd that had gathered, back-up was called for and shots were fired. The nine, 9-hour, sieges that followed involved nearly 100 police officers and resulted in four police cars being destroyed by Molotov cocktails, one police officer being wounded by shrapnel and Patrolman Edward Smith being killed by a shotgun blast to the head. 15 young defendants, seven men, and eight women, who had barricaded themselves in the Community Center were charged with murder and conspiracy to murder.