In the small town of Courtland, Alabama, a seven-year veteran of the local police force, William Houston McCormack, served as the Chief of Police. At 42 years old, he was a husband and a father to five children. His life was cut short on Sunday, May 2, 1948, in a sudden act of violence that also claimed the life of his killer.
The tragic event unfolded inside a drug store on the town's main street.
The father of a man whom Chief McCormack had arrested the week prior held a grudge against the officer. Seeking retaliation, the man found Chief McCormack seated in the drug store and, without any warning, opened fire. He shot the chief six times.
Despite being mortally wounded, Chief McCormack managed to draw his own weapon and return fire, killing his assailant. The shootout also resulted in injuries to several bystanders who were present in the drug store at the time. Chief McCormack succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind his wife and children. The man who shot him was killed at the scene by the chief's return fire, and as a result, no arrests were made in connection with the chief's death.
