Lieutenant Richard Earl Newman Sr., 48, of the Crowley Police Department, was killed on February 19, 1993, during a Lafayette drug raid. A ten-year department veteran and United States Army veteran, Newman was struck when a fellow officer’s firearm discharged amid a struggle while officers were apprehending multiple suspects. The wound proved fatal. He was survived by his wife, a son, and three daughters.

An investigation determined the shooting was accidental—friendly fire during the operation—and no arrests or charges were made in connection with his death. The circumstances of that night remain a stark reminder of the risks officers face during high-stakes raids.