On This Date (September 15) 1941-Patrolman Victor Leon Morris
On this date (September 15) 1941, a wife lost a husband, his father and mother lost a son, his three sisters lost a brother and Dallas lost a Police Officer.
Patrolman Victor Leon Morris, age 26, was shot with his own weapon after a struggle with a black male armed with a knife who shoved Patrolman Morris’ wife while entering a street car at the intersection of South St. Paul Street and Commerce Street failing to pay the required fare.
Patrolman Morris, in civilian clothes had just completed his shift, met his wife and they were entering a street car bound for the Oak Cliff area where they resided.
L.C. Akins, age 26 shoved Mrs. Morris entering ahead of her and continued into the street car failing to pay the fare. Patrolman Morris confronted the suspect at which time Suspect Akins pulled a long bladed knife and lunged towards Patrolman Morris.
Patrolman Morris pulled his service weapon and fired striking Suspect Akins in the right side. A struggle began at which time Patrolman Morris dropped his weapon, Suspect Akins picked it up and fired striking Patrolman Morris in the back, directly behind his heart.
Suspect Akins fled with Patrolman Morris’ weapon with several witnesses following. As the witnesses followed, Suspect Akins turned and threatened them with the pistol several times.
Suspect Akins then entered the Police and Courts Building one block away, approached the Desk Sergeant on duty, handed him Patrolman Morris’ pistol and informed him he had just shot a white man. The witnesses then approached the Desk Sergeant and explained what had occurred. The Desk Sergeant then requested an ambulance to South St. Paul Street and Commerce Street.
Patrolman Morris died in the ambulance while en route to Baylor Hospital.
Suspect Akins was transported to Parkland Hospital, treated for his minor gunshot wound, then transferred to the Dallas County Jail and charged with the murder of Patrolman Morris, not charged as a Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer due to Patrolman Morris not being in uniform.
Suspect Akins was convicted and sentenced to Life in Prison. An appeal was filed and a new trial granted. The second trial also resulted in a finding of guilty and Suspect Akins was sentenced to death.
The Governor of Texas commuted this death sentence to Life in Prison and Suspect Akins was granted parole in 1956.
Patrolman Victor Leon Morris is interred at the Edgewood Cemetery, Lancaster, Texas.