Assata Shakur, political activist and ex-Black Liberation Army member, has died

Assata Shakur “died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age,” according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Photo of Assata Shakur/ NBC News

Assata Shakur, a famed political activist who was found guilty of shooting a New Jersey state trooper in 1973 and later granted political asylum in Cuba, has died. She was 78.

On Thursday, Shakur “died in Havana, Cuba, as a result of health conditions and her advanced age,” according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“At approximately 1:15 PM on September 25th, my mother, Assata Shakur, took her last earthly breath. Words cannot describe the depth of loss that I am feeling at this time,” Kakuya Shakur, her daughter, wrote on Facebook.

“I want to thank you for your loving prayers that continue to anchor me in the strength that I need in this moment. My spirit is overflowing in unison with all of you who are grieving with me at this time.”

Born JoAnne Deborah Bryon on July 16, 1947, in New York City, she spent her early childhood in Wilmington, North Carolina. As a college student in the 1960s, she was an active participant in the fight for civil rights and the anti-war movement. She met fellow student activist Louis Chesimard during her time at City College of New York, whom she married and later divorced.

After graduation, Shakur moved to Oakland, California, and became involved with the Black Panther Party. Shakur left the Party in 1971 and would later join the Black Liberation Army.

In 1973, Shakur was convicted of killing a a New Jersey state trooper during a shootout. In 1979, she escaped jail and left the United States for Cuba. She has always maintained her innocence.

Shakur penned a letter to Pope John Paul II during his 1998 visit to Cuba.

At this point, I think that it is important to make one thing very clear. I have advocated and I still advocate revolutionary changes in the structure and in the principles that govern the United States. I advocate self-determination for my people and for all oppressed inside the United States. I advocate an end to capitalist exploitation, the abolition of racist policies, the eradication of sexism, and the elimination of political repression. If that is a crime, then I am totally guilty.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.