blake
Life Member
NEWS!
Fallen Conservation Ranger Finally Honored After 42 Years
7/27/2009</SPAN>
Fallen conservation ranger William Hobbs of Blakely, Ga., finally got the recognition he deserves, as the details of his case came together after 42 years.
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<st1:City w:st="on">Hobbs</ST1
</st1:City> was shot while on duty on July 9, 1967 while assisting a local sheriff's office. His name is now on two memorials, one in <st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State> and one in <st1:City w:st="on">Forsyth</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ga.</st1:State> at the <ST1<st1laceName w:st="on">Georgia</st1laceName> <st1laceName w:st="on">Public</st1laceName> <st1laceName w:st="on">Safety</st1laceName> <st1laceName w:st="on">Training</st1laceName> <st1laceType w:st="on">Center</st1laceType>, dedicated to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.<O
</O<st1:City w:st="on">Hobbs</st1:City> was asked by one of the deputies to accompany him to a residence where a man, Aaron Bankston, was bothering a woman who rented some of <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1
Hobbs</st1:City> property. As the officers walked up to the house, Bankston shot them through the screen door. <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1
lHobbs</st1:City> was hit in the face and blinded as he fell back into the yard. The deputy, also hit, fled on foot. Bankston came out of the house and shot H<st1:City w:st="on">obbs</st1:City> several times with the officer's own revolver. <O
</O<st1:City w:st="on"><ST1
Hobbs</st1:City> was taken to the hospital, but died 10 days later from his injuries. Other officers responded to the scene, and after a standoff, Bankston was killed.
"I know, even after such a long time, that the recognition of Ranger Hobbs' service and dedication was important to his family," said Col. Terry West, chief of law enforcement. "I am grateful that we could be part of the effort to have his name forever etched in the memorials along with other fallen heroes."
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