Albert Walter Sansom, a 27-year-old mounted policeman in Montgomery, Alabama, was fatally shot on the evening of September 28, 1922, while on duty. He and another officer, R.T. Garrard, were responding to a domestic disturbance call when the shooting occurred. Officer Sansom, who resided at 720 Clay Street, succumbed to his injuries, leaving a significant void in the community and the police force.
The death of Officer Sansom triggered a tumultuous and violent period in Montgomery.
Two days after his murder, the search for his killer led to another tragedy. Game Warden George Wilson was shot and killed while he, along with Montgomery County deputies, was actively searching for the individual responsible for Officer Sansom's death. The two officers' deaths in such a short span of time led to a volatile atmosphere in the city.
In the wake of the killings, mob violence erupted in Montgomery, prompting the deployment of the National Guard to restore order. The situation escalated to the point where a man who was believed to be withholding information about Officer Sansom's killer was lynched by a mob. The widespread unrest also resulted in another man being shot and killed, and several others were reportedly whipped and beaten during this period of civil disturbance. While one modern-day source marks the case of Officer Sansom's murder as 'solved,' historical online sources available do not provide the name of any suspect who was arrested, tried, or convicted for the crime.
