William Okie Bevins 1981 Mass Murder in Allen, Kentucky
Overview
In October 1981, a 70-year-old retired miner named William “Okie” Bevins committed a shocking mass shooting at a small auto parts store in Allen, Kentucky. Armed with an automatic .30-caliber rifle, he opened fire on employees and customers, killing five men and injuring three others. Authorities believe the attack stemmed from a personal dispute involving one of the victims and a woman .
Incident Details
On Friday, October 16, 1981, Bevins entered the Mountain Auto-Truck Parts Store shortly before noon and acted without warning. He fired rapidly, targeting five men for fatal shooting and seriously wounding three others. The victims were shot multiple times—some received two to eight gunshots, with witnesses reporting that Bevins “scanned the bodies of his fallen victims and then pumped bullets into those who showed signs of life” .
Victims
- Rufus Hamilton, 43, of Printer, KY – fatally shot
- Roger Hatfield, 34, of Mohawk, West Virginia – fatally shot
- Jarvey (Garvey) Hamilton, 28, of Grethel, KY – fatally shot
- Roger Dale Click, 28, of Allen, KY – fatally shot; believed to be in dispute with Bevins beforehand
- Michael Joe Halbert, 28 (or 29, some reports) of Allen, KY – co-owner of the store, fatally shot
Three other men inside were wounded, one critically, and hospitalized .
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