On October 16, 1972, Birmingham Police Department officer Henry L. Thompson, age 61, was killed during a disturbance at a local bank. Thompson responded to an incident involving an irate customer and tried to de-escalate. A struggle followed and the suspect obtained Thompson’s service weapon, then fired, fatally wounding the officer.

The suspect attempted to flee through the back of the bank but was confronted by another officer and shot and killed during that confrontation. The shooting ended the immediate threat but left the department and community mourning a longtime officer who had been serving Birmingham.