Carl Hampton was a young African-American activist who was assassinated by members of the Houston Police Department. Influenced by the Black Panthers, Hampton formed The People’s Party II. He focused on galvanizing the community to speak up against police violence and he worked to build a multi-racial coalition. At the age of 21 in 1970, Hampton stepped in to question a Houston policeman about the harassment of a person selling a party newspaper, and eventually Hampton, who legally had an open carry gun permit, drew his gun when he realized that the officer pointed a gun at him. Hampton was shot and killed by an army of police officers in a subsequent standoff. [http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/Chapter_History/Police_Assassination_of_Carl_Hampton.html]