On a Thursday afternoon in March 2015, Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Francis Wilson III, a 30-year-old man and an eight-year veteran of the force, walked into a GameStop store on West Lehigh Avenue. He was on duty but taking a moment to buy a video game for his nine-year-old son as a reward for good grades and an early birthday present. This act of fatherly love would tragically be his last.
While Officer Wilson was at the counter, two brothers, Carlton Hipps, 29, and Ramone
Williams, 24, entered the store with the intent to rob it, apparently unaware of the uniformed officer inside. When they announced the robbery, Officer Wilson immediately drew his weapon, positioning himself to draw the robbers' fire away from the other customers and employees in the store. A fierce gun battle erupted, with more than 50 shots fired. Despite being struck multiple times, Officer Wilson continued to engage the suspects until he was fatally wounded.
As the two gunmen fled the store, they were confronted by Officer Wilson's partner, who had been waiting in their patrol car. Another exchange of gunfire ensued, during which Hipps was shot in the leg. Williams ran back into the GameStop, attempting to blend in with the patrons by shedding his sweatshirt, but he was quickly identified and arrested. Both brothers, who had extensive criminal histories, with Hipps being on parole for a prior robbery, were taken into custody.
Carlton Hipps and Ramone Williams were charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery, and other related offenses. In June 2018, the brothers pleaded guilty to the murder of Officer Wilson. The plea deal, offered by the District Attorney's office, spared them the death penalty, a decision that caused division among Officer Wilson's family but was supported by the mothers of his two sons to avoid the trauma of a lengthy trial and appeals process. Both men were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 50 to 100 years. Officer Wilson was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant and is remembered as a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the lives of innocent civilians.
