Dearborn police officer facing lawsuit in fatal shooting, commits suicide
DEARBORN, Mich. Dec 5 2020 A suburban Detroit police officer who was facing a lawsuit over the fatal shooting of a Black man has died.
The Wayne County medical examiner says Dearborn Officer Christopher Hampton killed himself last week.
Police Chief Ronald Haddad calls Hampton’s death a “tragic situation.”
In 2015, Hampton was conducting a traffic stop when he recognized Kevin Matthews walking by. Matthews was suspected of trying to steal a beverage from a gas station earlier that day.
Matthews was fatally shot at the end of a foot chase and intense physical struggle.
The officer said Matthews was a threat because he was grabbing for Hampton’s gun.
But experts have different opinions.
The lawsuit will go to trial or be settled.
