David Peter Hampton Sr. was 22 and had served with the Lake Charles Police Department about a month when he was killed on the night of December 2, 1982. The officers had stopped a vehicle near Boston Alley and Mill Street around 10:00 p.m. to issue a ticket. An altercation with one of the three occupants escalated as the officers moved to make an arrest, a struggle followed, and shots were fired; Officer Hampton was fatally wounded during the exchange.

A suspect was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and the case went to trial. The trial lasted eleven months and ended with an acquittal. Officer Hampton left behind a wife and young son and his death had a deep impact on the department and community. What details can anyone add about that night or the people involved?