San Francisco Police Department Park Station bombing
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Police Department Park Station bombing occurred on February 16, 1970, when a pipe bomb filled with shrapnel
detonated on the ledge of a window at the San Francisco Police Department
's Golden Gate Park
station.
Brian V. McDonnell, a police
sergeant
, was fatally wounded in its blast. Robert Fogarty, another police officer
, was severely wounded in his face and legs and was partially blinded. In addition, eight other police officers were wounded.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle
, "Investigators in the early '70s said the bombing likely was the work of the Weather Underground, and not the Black Liberation Army
"
An investigation was reopened in 1999. A San Francisco grand jury
looked into the incident, but no indictment
s followed.
In early 2009 conservative advocacy group America's Survival Inc. advocated for a murder charge against Bill Ayers
of the Weather Underground. In connection with a press release, the group released a letter from the San Francisco Police Officers Association
endorsing an earlier allegation by Larry Grathwohl, a former FBI informant within the Weather Underground, that "there are “irrefutable and compelling reasons” that establish that Ayers and his wife, Bernadine Dohrn, are responsible for the bombing."
The case has yet to be solved and remains an active case.
Fragmentation (weaponry)
Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc. is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. The correct technical terminology for these casing pieces is fragments , although shards or splinters can be used for non-preformed fragments...
detonated on the ledge of a window at the San Francisco Police Department
San Francisco Police Department
The San Francisco Police Department, also known as the SFPD and San Francisco Department Of Police, is the police department of the City and County of San Francisco, California...
's Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
station.
Brian V. McDonnell, a police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, was fatally wounded in its blast. Robert Fogarty, another police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, was severely wounded in his face and legs and was partially blinded. In addition, eight other police officers were wounded.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, "Investigators in the early '70s said the bombing likely was the work of the Weather Underground, and not the Black Liberation Army
Black Liberation Army
The Black Liberation Army was an underground, black nationalist-Marxist militant organization that operated in the United States from 1970 to 1981...
"
An investigation was reopened in 1999. A San Francisco grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
looked into the incident, but no indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
s followed.
In early 2009 conservative advocacy group America's Survival Inc. advocated for a murder charge against Bill Ayers
Bill Ayers
William Charles "Bill" Ayers is an American elementary education theorist and a former leader in the movement that opposed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He is known for his 1960s activism as well as his current work in education reform, curriculum, and instruction...
of the Weather Underground. In connection with a press release, the group released a letter from the San Francisco Police Officers Association
San Francisco Police Officers Association
The San Francisco Police Officers Association, the largest police trade union representing the San Francisco Police Department, was founded in 1946...
endorsing an earlier allegation by Larry Grathwohl, a former FBI informant within the Weather Underground, that "there are “irrefutable and compelling reasons” that establish that Ayers and his wife, Bernadine Dohrn, are responsible for the bombing."
The case has yet to be solved and remains an active case.