William T. Gaskin

Huntsville Police Department — Huntsville, AL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 27, 1968

Age 22

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 104 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 12

Incident

Officer William Gaskin was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on Toll Gate Road. He had radioed to dispatch that he was making the stop and was found by other officers suffering from a gunshot wound. He was still holding the suspect's driver's license when he was found. The man was committed to a mental institution where he was stabbed to death two years later. Police Officer Gaskin was a U.S. Army veteran had only served with the Huntsville Police Department for three months.

Survivors

He was survived by his three aunts and uncles.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-ECF71C28
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Gaskin served with the Huntsville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Huntsville community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Huntsville Police Department

Location Huntsville, AL

Platform Identity hpd.madison.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 27, 1968

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Murdered in prison

Military Service

William T. Gaskin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer William T. Gaskin is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Huntsville Police Department, 7 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.8% of this agency's fallen.

Huntsville Police Department

of 13 officers

53.8% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious