Roland Sheppard, Who Sold Socialist Newspapers, Became Convinced the Government Was Behind Malcolm X Slaying
Sheppard says man at police station after shooting was also present during assassination
BY ROLAND SHEPPARD
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 9:25 PM
Roland Sheppard, 73,says he believes the government was behind the assassination of Malcolm X.
I was standing outside the Audubon Ballroom selling the Socialist newspaper I worked for, The Militant.
Normally, Malcolm would stop to buy one. But when he came out of his cab, he said, “Not today, Roland. I’ve got to get inside.”
He was a little bit nervous. Something was wrong. He always came with a lot of people surrounding him. But he was alone for some reason.
When I got inside the meeting room, I walked toward where I usually sat with the rest of the press, along the front left side of the room. On my way there, I was stopped by a man named Gene Roberts (who worked security for Malcolm). He said, “You’re not sitting here today, Roland.”
Naturally, you look to see who’s sitting where you usually sit. That’s when I saw a burly black man with high cheekbones in the auditorium. I had never seen him before. I knew most of the faces who had come into the meetings.
When the meeting started, Benjamin 15X spoke and introduced Malcolm.
It sounded like there was a disturbance. Two men were standing up. I heard one of the guys say, “Get your hand out of my pocket!”
Then one of the guys started running down the aisle shooting straight up in the air. He ran straight out the exit. I thought, “Oh, my God. They’re going to try to kill him.”
Other people started shooting. Immediately, everyone hit the deck. Then I looked up at Malcolm. He was looking straight down at the guy who was about to shoot at him, like daring him to shoot.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blast. It came from the left of me, in the area where I had seen the large guy. Malcolm fell back like 10 feet. Everyone was shocked and demoralized and angry. It was the saddest day of my life.
I went to the police station. They showed me a bunch of pictures. I didn’t want to identify anyone.
I was trying to think of something to say. And lo and behold, who was coming out of the bathroom door? The guy I had never seen before.
The guy goes by me and goes into an office and disappears behind a desk. I figured he was a police agent. I became convinced the government assassinated Malcolm X.
BY ROLAND SHEPPARD
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, February 14, 2015, 9:25 PM
Roland Sheppard, 73,says he believes the government was behind the assassination of Malcolm X.
I was standing outside the Audubon Ballroom selling the Socialist newspaper I worked for, The Militant.
Normally, Malcolm would stop to buy one. But when he came out of his cab, he said, “Not today, Roland. I’ve got to get inside.”
He was a little bit nervous. Something was wrong. He always came with a lot of people surrounding him. But he was alone for some reason.
When I got inside the meeting room, I walked toward where I usually sat with the rest of the press, along the front left side of the room. On my way there, I was stopped by a man named Gene Roberts (who worked security for Malcolm). He said, “You’re not sitting here today, Roland.”
Naturally, you look to see who’s sitting where you usually sit. That’s when I saw a burly black man with high cheekbones in the auditorium. I had never seen him before. I knew most of the faces who had come into the meetings.
When the meeting started, Benjamin 15X spoke and introduced Malcolm.
It sounded like there was a disturbance. Two men were standing up. I heard one of the guys say, “Get your hand out of my pocket!”
Then one of the guys started running down the aisle shooting straight up in the air. He ran straight out the exit. I thought, “Oh, my God. They’re going to try to kill him.”
Other people started shooting. Immediately, everyone hit the deck. Then I looked up at Malcolm. He was looking straight down at the guy who was about to shoot at him, like daring him to shoot.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blast. It came from the left of me, in the area where I had seen the large guy. Malcolm fell back like 10 feet. Everyone was shocked and demoralized and angry. It was the saddest day of my life.
I went to the police station. They showed me a bunch of pictures. I didn’t want to identify anyone.
I was trying to think of something to say. And lo and behold, who was coming out of the bathroom door? The guy I had never seen before.
The guy goes by me and goes into an office and disappears behind a desk. I figured he was a police agent. I became convinced the government assassinated Malcolm X.
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