Comments/Citation:
The following is mostly an editorial of my private knowledge of the incident regarding the tragic night of events on December 2nd, 1982. The event has already been recorded in History as the First Officer Killed in the Line of Duty in the History of the LCPD. This was a night I have never forgotten, and a night I will re-live over and over for the rest of my life.
I still remember David Peter Hampton as if we were in school together only yesterday. David had some really good looks, even in elementary School. He looked like Elvis Presley. He had Cole Black shinny hair, and he wore a Long Sleeve Paisley cotton shirt, Blue jeans rolled with a cuff, Black Belt, and Dime loafers for shoes. That was 1966 in 2nd Grade.
This night started off typically. After shift meeting, I gathered my additional T/O Gear. While at the check out roll-up where the radio storage was, standing there alone., Suddenly David appeared back in the Shift Meeting Room. He was highly motivated, and there had already been talk about him becoming a good Police Officer, but tonight was his 30th day on duty. David said, "Hey Welch"," I'm supposed to be training with you next week", "I Can't Wait". "I heard you always get your man". I kind of grinned at him, and I said, "Yes it's true, "Get ready for some real training next week. Like most Police Officers had an acute awareness, but I didn't know, I'd never see David Hampton Alive again.
Officer David Peter Hampton Sr. was on approximately his 30th day of service. He was in great athletic condition and his appearance in uniform was above average. He was over 6' in height, 22 years old. He was partnered with Veteran Police Officer Ben Gaspard, a Senior Cpl of the LCPD. Ben who was 35 years old in top shape and a very fine Policeman. Ben had a degree in Nursing, and was an expert EMT. A 6 year veteran at the time of this training of New Officers.
Cpl Gaspard was training Officer David Hampton on traffic stops and during that noticed a vehicle with an expired registration, and decided to stop the vehicle and use the scenario as part of David's traffic stop training. The vehicle was occupied by 4 men who were all brothers. Once the vehicle was stopped, Cpl. Gaspard and Officer Hampton exited their patrol vehicle. The occupants of the stopped vehicle sprung out of their vehicle and began to try and confuse the officers by yelling, and moving to and fro. The Driver of the vehicle one of the Sonnier brothers began a physical struggle with Cpl. Gaspard, simultaneously Officer Hampton Sr. was confronted by one of the other vehicle occupants. (Both Officers were approximately 10 ft. from each other) Officer Hampton was having his first physical altercation as a Police Officer ever. Officer Hampton quickly over took his aggressor by having to knock him out. However during that confrontation, Cpl.Gaspard's 357 Magnum revolver was removed from his holster and lay on the ground by the feet of the aggressor he was attempting to get under control. The aggressor quickly picked up and pointed the weapon at Cpl. Gaspard, but before the assailant could fire Cpl. Gaspard hurriedly took cover to the drivers side of his vehicle and grasped for the shotgun from the patrol vehicle as he yelled for David to shoot the assailant. The Perpetrator's focus was now on Officer David Hampton. He pointed, and fired at Officer Hampton. Only split seconds had evolved in this tragedy. David pulled his 38 Smith & Wesson revolver from the leather, pointed at the head of the perpetrator within 10 feet, and fired. David's first round grazed center mass of the top of the perpetrator's head. David emptied his revolver toward the Perpetrator, striking him once more in the right Pelvic area. . The first shot from the assailant struck David through his hearts main Aorta, David had managed to get all six of his shots off, but the attempt to stop the Assailant was to no avail. The Assailant walked over to the dying officer David Peter Hampton Sr. and shot David in the back 4 more times, and ran off into a vacant lot and hid from sight temporarily. That is until Back up arrived. Cpl. Gaspard attempted first aid on David while waiting for an ambulance. Soon the Calvary would arrive.
Cpl. Ben Gaspard called on the radio for assistance, "Shots Fired, Officer Down".
Cpl. Mark Davis was one of the first to arrive on the scene and apprehended the assailant without incident. The Assailant was in an abandoned shed awaiting immanent capture.
Over the next hour or so we captured all of the 4 suspects involved from the Officers vehicle stop.
I didn't realize David had passed away at that time, I just thought I was looking for the shooter when I responded to the area with my partner Ed Lastrap. Ed and I were in the middle of an arrest on the opposite end of the City, when we heard the radio crack, and those frantic words of desperation, the call for help. We focused on what became our only mission at that point, and that was to drive to the location of the incident and save our brothers. We listened to the radio for any further instructions. We had to hastily place our arrestee into a holding tank for prisoners right in the back door entrance of the station. Ed and I arrived at the scene which was about 3 blocks from the station, and from there assisted on capturing the remaining 3 from the stopped vehicle.
I was then assigned to guard the assailant in the detectives interview room. The assailant sat there looking at the ground, and occasionally looked up at me, and when he did, I wanted to make him pay for shooting David. He sat there in hand cuffs bleeding from the one solid contact wound from Davids gun. Detectives needed to see him, and he wasn't transported to the hospital yet because there were no life threatening wounds on his body.
I was relieved of watching the suspect after some time, and walked out to the back of the station where I joined my partner Ed Lastrap. As Ed and I walked to our Patrol Unit, Lt. Carl Casio, and Sgt. Norris Benoit, and I think Sgt. Louis Falgoust walked toward us. I asked them how David was, and they said, "You didn't know that David has Passed"? We both sunk into a trance at that time. We didn't know. They gave us a quick briefing and we went back on the road and back on the block where David had been shot. Boston and Mill Street. Then we made a few rounds down Enterprise Blvd. I noticed that Ed and I were both leaning down in the seat as we were driving down the road. Ed said, "Man Welch, I feel vulnerable", I said, "Yes Ed, I'm feeling it too".
11 months later the Trial ended, and unfortunately the Justice System which David Stood for Betrayed him, and at that time betrayed all of us. Subject was acquitted of all counts, and set free. Set free even after witness's observed the murder. Oh, that little option of doubt in the minds of the jury went a long way.
Rick A. Welch
Former LCPD Cpl.
Retired California Police Officer
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