Last Known Activity:
Senior Trooper Bill Hakim and Captain Tom Tennant, of the Woodburn Police Department, were killed when a bomb detonated as they examined the device. A bomb threat had been called into a local bank earlier in the day, but the device was determined not to pose a threat. Later in the day a second bomb threat was made to a neighboring bank. A bank employee discovered a suspicious object in the bushes outside of the bank. At some point after officers responded to the scene, the device was moved inside the bank. As Trooper Hakim, Captain Tennant, and the Woodburn police chief examined the device it detonated, fatally injuring Trooper Hakim and Captain Tennant. The police chief was critically injured. Both suspects, a father and son team, were apprehended, convicted, and sentenced to death. Trooper Hakim had served with the Oregon State Police for 11 years.
Senior Trooper William (Bill) R. Hakim
August 31, 1957 - December 12, 2008
Lost In The Line of Duty
Oregon State Police Senior Trooper William R. Hakim age 51, died in the line of duty as a result of a bomb explosion at a Woodburn-area bank on December 12, 2008. Also killed during the incident was Woodburn Police Captain Tom Tennant. Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell was critically injured.
Following his birth in New York City, Bill’s family moved overseas to Spain and Italy where he attended elementary school. In 1968, the family settled in Mexico City, where Bill began his secondary education. After finishing high school in Texas, Bill attended St. John’s College in New Mexico and upon leaving St. John’s he enlisted in the United States Navy. He finished his college education at the University of Texas in Austin. While serving his country during his 12-year Navy career, Bill’s proudest accomplishment was becoming an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Diver. Bill left the Navy in 1994 and moved to the Northwest to raise his family.
Bill joined the Oregon State Police in July 1997 and was assigned as a Patrol Trooper at the Klamath Falls office. In 1999, he transferred to the Arson & Explosives Section as an arson detective and Certified Hazardous Device Technician. He was also involved with the Oregon State Police SWAT team and taught other law enforcement officers about arson and bomb investigations.
Bill led an adventurous life, loved to travel, and was a passionate learner. During his youth, Bill mastered the French, Italian, and Spanish languages.
He is survived by his wife Terri, two teen aged children, and his two dogs. Other survivors include his brother, step-mother, many nieces and nephews, and a large extended family.
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I worked numerous cases with Bill. I truly miss the "Wild Man". Bill was one of the smartest people that I have known. Bill always strived to know why things did what they did when it came to explosives and arson.
I was watching the news on the morning of December 13, 2008 when I heard the the news that Bill and another officer had been killed and another officer had been gravely injured in Woodburn. I called another bomb team member that I worked with to find out what had happened and I still could not believe that Bill was gone.
That was almost 3 years ago that it happened and it was like it was yesterday that those 2 men took a very dear friend, a brother in arms, and a family man who thought the world of his family. I miss my friend and will never forget him and what he stood for.
"Bill your watch is over my brother...we will take over from here."
Joe Wicks
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