On a December evening in 2008, 28-year-old Oak Park Public Safety Officer Mason James Samborski pulled over a vehicle driven by 16-year-old Jonathan Belton for lack of a driver’s license. Samborski chose to drive the teenager home rather than take him to jail, but was given a false apartment address. When the deception was revealed, Belton tried to flee and a physical struggle followed. Belton gained control of Samborski’s service weapon and fired, fatally wounding the officer in the head. Samborski was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.

Belton fled but was located and arrested the next day. He was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, murder of a peace officer, and weapons offenses. On November 19, 2010, a jury found Belton guilty of first-degree murder and he received a mandatory life sentence without parole. If anyone knew Officer Samborski or witnessed the traffic stop that night, can you share what you remember?