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William Thompson

Case from Salem, VA dated Apr 05, 1970

Victim Details

Man William Howard “button”

Male

White / Caucasian

Salem

VA

1970-04-05

30

William

Thompson

07/16/2026

Case Description

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In the spring of 1970, a sense of duty and a belief in his ability to de-escalate a tense situation led to the tragic death of a young police officer in Salem, Virginia. Patrolman William Howard Thompson, a 30-year-old man and a respected seven-year veteran of the Salem Police Department, lost his life on April 5, 1970. He was just about to end his shift when a call came in about a suspect who had barricaded himself inside his house.

Patrolman Thompson had encountered the individual earli ...
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Links to Additional Sources (3)

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  • Patrolman William Howard Thompson, Salem Police Department ...
  • Reflections for Patrolman William Howard Thompson, Salem Police ...
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    Forum Posts (3)

    Has anyone else looked into the relationship between Officer Thompson and the suspect prior to the t... ...Read More
    08/09/2024
    I've been reading about the tragic case of William Howard "Button" Thompson, and I can't help but fe... ...Read More
    07/17/2024
    Did anyone else hear about the suspect's behavior before the incident? From what I gather, this wasn... ...Read More
    08/28/2023
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