1967

May 17, 1967
Gunfire @ 3200 Wheeler

DOB – 3/12/1942, Age 25
Badge – 2074
Class #34
Final Resting place – Forest Park Lawndale, Houston, TX

The riot at Texas Southern University erupted on Wednesday, May 17, 1967, after nearly two months of unrest at the campus. Officer Louis R. Kuba was shot and killed, and two other officers and a student were wounded.

Police had sealed off the campus on Tuesday, May 16, 1967, after motorists, passing by the campus that they were fired at and stoned. For more than 40 minutes, the students held at by, with sniper fire, about 200 police officers. Finally, police, infantry style, stormed the dormitories and flashed out the rioters. Officer Kuba was in the first police assault to storm the dormitories. Exchanges of fire continued until 3 a.m., and was declared by Chief H.B. Short as being under control at that time.

Authorities arrested and jailed 488 students. After the riot had been quelled early on Wednesday, police began a search of the men's dormitories for weapons. They found a rifle, pistol and a shotgun in the freshmen dorm. Top officials of TSU pledged to rid the campus of "undesirable influences" and seek a solution to the outbursts of violence. The campus is plagued with "outside agitators," several administration heads had said.

The two wounded policemen were Robert G. Blaylock and Alan Dugger, and the student, who was also shot, were taken to Ben Taub Hospital where they were described as being in good condition.

Kuba enlisted in the Army in June of 1962, after his graduation from Garwood High School, and he was discharged in June of 1965. He served for three years in the Army as missile-technician and was attached to a base near Chicago. Officer Kuba's sister is quoted in saying that "Louis had all kinds of plans. He'd always wanted to be a police officer," and said, "He talked about it even before he got out of the Army."

He joined the Houston Police Department and graduated from the Police Academy on April 14, 1967. Officer Kuba, 25, had only been an officer only 34 days when he was fatally wounded.

Officer L.R. Kuba is survived by his wife, Patricia Kuba. She was expecting their first child when he was killed in the line of duty.

Source – Houston Police Department Museum Files