What the latest talking about? Yeah. This is the police assassination of Carl Hampton. On July 26, 1970, Carl Bernard Hampton, one of black America's most articulate, courageous and heroic young leaders, was ruthlessly slain by the Houston Police Department's Central Intelligence Division, otherwise known as CID. At the age of 21, Carl was a tireless organizer who worked day and night to establish the People's Party, too, a black revolutionary group modeled after the Black Panther Party. Arm with the determination to see his people free from the oppression, exploitation, and degradation by a racist and corrupt system bent on the destruction of blacks and people of color. He proceeded boldly with his mission. Consistently, he rallied people around the issue of police brutality and murder that was quite prevalent at the time. Speaking with much power and authority, he was able to capture the hearts and the minds of the people and therefore their respect and admiration. Seeing the effects his words and actions were having on the community, it would be only a matter of time before the government would move in to neutralize him. The 2800 block of Dowling Street was known for its illicit activities of alcohol, drugs, prostitution, and killings. Undaunted by threats on his life, Carl continued to organize within the infamous section of Houston's black community, the Third Ward. Intensely sensitive to the poverty in the area and seeing people suffer as a result, causing media concern was to provide decent clothing and food to the many needy people who resided there. It was during his effort to obtain supplies for these programs that destiny was soon ushered in events that would seal his fate. It all began on a hot and humid summer afternoon, July 17, 1970. Carl would be returning from a trip home back to the headquarters of the People's Party too, upon arriving and stepping out of the car. He noticed two uniform patrolmen harassing a young brother who had been selling the black panther newspaper on the street curb in front of the headquarters. He approached the officer and inquired about the nature of the problem. Carl was wearing an unconcealed 45-automatic pistol strapped across his chest and a shoulder holster legal at the time. The police officer, startled at seeing a young black man openly wearing a pistol, immediately drew his attention from the initial cause of being there. He then confronted Carl and questioned him as to why he was wearing a gun. Carl responded by telling him he had a constitutional right to bear arms. Again, shocked and infuriated by this reply, the officer began reaching for his gun. Seeing this, Carl instinctively drew his gun from his holster, beating the police to the draw. At that same moment, two members in the community center emerged with weapons to join the confrontation. The driver of the patrol car quickly radioed for backup, realizing that it was a standoff and it would only be a matter of minutes before the area would be sealed off and police reinforcements arrived. Carl and the other members cautiously backed into the office to barricade themselves. Feeling somewhat fortified at the back of the office and looking out of the windows, they could see increasing police presence, dressed in riot gear, guarding two and fro to position themselves behind cars and buildings. With tensions escalating, a commanding officer of the Houston Police Department entered the office doors and an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate for them to surrender. Rather than be taken to jail, Carl felt his chances would be better out in the street, having his lawyer negotiate terms for his surrender. His reluctance to be arrested was due to the numerous cases of police brutality and murder of blacks in the jails and on the streets during that time. The negotiating officer quickly exited the doors after seeing no sign of compromise. Meanwhile, a large crowd of people out on the street who witnessed the incident began to congregate in front of the office. So enraged were they at the hostile police presence that they offered themselves as a shield between the PP2 members and the trigger-happy police. In fact, the crowd was so confident and protective that they dared the police to fire on the PP2 headquarters. This being an unexpected situation and the police not knowing how to properly deal with it decided to retreat from the area and develop a contingency plan. Thus followed a sense of victory in the people's ability to back down the police department. By this time, most of Houston became aware of the standoff between PP2 and the Houston Police Department because of the news flashes. People from all over the cities, black communities poured on to the 2800 block of dialing street to offer support. Many brothers feeling the sense of pride and strength brought weapons and enlisted themselves to do battle. There were also mothers and sisters who came with prepared food to offer the defiant soldiers. As days wore on, everyone had become fatigued, tense and weary waiting for the inevitable. Also waiting for and observing those conditions, the Houston Police Department and other collaborating intelligence agencies made a decision to recapture the area by using a well plan, precalculated military maneuver to assassinate Carl. On day 10, Sunday, July 26, several intelligence officers armed with high-powered telescopic rifles secretly gained access to the roof of St. John's Baptist Church. It was the tallest building in the same block as the headquarters and would provide the tactical advantage to hold off any return fire and to execute the assassination. As nightfall approached, Carl was speaking to a crowd of about 100 people at a spontaneous rally in front of the office. The rally was called to raise bail money for two brothers who were arrested earlier. A car speeding by with two women in it shouted out that white men were shooting from the roof of the church. Carl quickly dismissed the crowd out of concern for their safety. As Rob Barty-Hale, leader of the John Brown Revolutionary League, JBRL, if any of his members were on top of the church, JBRL was a white revolutionary organization that was part of the Rainbow Coalition that Carl successfully organized. Shortly after hearing about the standoff, armed members of the JBRL also came out to show support. Upon finding out that it was not JBRL people, Carl valiantly picked up his M1 carbine rifle and proceeded to investigate. Several people accompanied him. As he attempted to cross the street to get a better look, how would Dupree, a white news reporter for Radio Station KULF, who also was on top of the roof, pointing him out to snipers? Dupree was granted an interview by Carl a day or two earlier, thereby making him and accomplice in the assassination because of his ability to positively identify him. The conspirators using night vision scopes shot Carl several times in the chest and stomach with illegal holopoint dumb dumb bullets. As Carl's body lie helplessly bleeding in the middle of the street, a very courageous sister dotted through the rain of bullets to retrieve him. She dragged Carl to her car and rushed him to Ben Top General Hospital in a futile attempt to save his life. It was there in the emergency room where he died. Several hundred ride-gird equipped police sealed off a 10 square block radius and swept through the area. Throughout the night and into dawn, over 60 people were arrested and detained for questioning. Out of this tragic situation was formed a black coalition. It consisted of mainstream black organizations responding to the rain of terror inflicted on black people by the Houston Police Department. The coalition urged a boycott of businesses downtown. The boycott failed due to impotence and unsustained efforts of its organizers. By making the supreme sacrifice and surrendering his life for the revolution, Carl became a martyr for an inevitable liberation. RIP Carl Hampton. No more talk. We will be the latest talking bell.