Thomas Glen Tompkins

Thomas Glen Tompkins, a 31-year-old patrolman with the Shreveport Police Department in Louisiana, was known to loved ones as "Bubbo." In the fall of 1978, he was a dedicated, white officer, relatively new to the force, having served for just eight months. He was a husband and a father to two children. His career in law enforcement, however, was tragically cut short in an act of violence that would leave a lasting scar on his family and the community he served.

On the night of Friday, October 20, 1978, Officer Tompkins was tasked with transporting a prisoner. Around 9:40 p.m., other officers had arrested a man for causing a disturbance at a local establishment called the Dragon Lounge. The suspect, Wayne Robert Felde, was placed in a patrol car without being searched or handcuffed. During this time, it is believed Felde hid a .357 caliber handgun he was carrying in a crack between the car's seats. He was then removed, searched, handcuffed, and put back in the vehicle for transport to the city jail by Officer Tompkins.

Unbeknownst to the officers, Felde was not just a local troublemaker; he was an escapee from a Maryland state prison where he was serving time for manslaughter. His sister had reportedly purchased the gun for him. As Officer Tompkins began to drive away from the scene of the arrest, Felde managed to retrieve the concealed weapon. In the 7300 block of Mansfield Road, he shot Officer Tompkins in the back. The patrol car veered and came to a stop against a guardrail. As his mortally wounded driver fell from the vehicle, Felde climbed over the front seat and fled on foot.

A massive manhunt was immediately launched for Felde. He was located not far from the scene of the shooting and was apprehended after being shot and wounded by other officers during the pursuit. The Shreveport Police Department and the wider community mourned the loss of one of their own, a young officer killed in the line of duty. Officer Tompkins was survived by his wife, Frances, and their two children.

In the aftermath, Wayne Robert Felde faced the full force of the law for the murder of Patrolman Tompkins. He claimed to be a Vietnam veteran suffering from PTSD and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. While a jury was reportedly sympathetic to his military service, they found him guilty of murder. Felde was sentenced to death for his crime. After a decade on death row, Wayne Robert Felde was executed in 1988.

The loss of Thomas Tompkins has been felt by his family for decades. His wife, Frances, and daughter, Sherri English, have attended memorial ceremonies for fallen officers years later, keeping his memory alive. At a 2024 ceremony at the Police and Firefighters Memorial in Shreveport, Frances recalled the terrible chain of events that led to her husband's death. She and her daughter spoke of the importance of honoring police officers who "risk their life every day, protecting others." The case remains a somber reminder of the unpredictable dangers that law enforcement officers face. As of May 2024, Officer Tompkins' sacrifice continues to be honored at annual memorials in northwest Louisiana.