Man accused of killing Las Vegas police officer appears in court

A 24-year-old man accused of shooting and killing a veteran Las Vegas police officer made his first court appearance Friday morning.

During the brief hearing, Hearing Master Daniel Westmeyer ordered Tyson Hampton to be held without bail, although attorneys will be able to argue at a future court hearing whether he should be granted bail. He also was ordered to have no contact with any of the victims in the domestic disturbance that led to Thursday’s shooting.

Officer Truong Thai, 49, who had been with the Metropolitan Police Department since 1999, was shot while responding to the report of a domestic disturbance at about 1 a.m. Thursday near University Center Drive and Flamingo Road, police have said.

Police said that when Thai and another officer arrived in the area, Hampton opened fire, striking Thai and a civilian before driving off. Police officers also fired shots, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Friday.

Thai died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the torso. Hampton was arrested Thursday near Eastern Avenue and Desert Inn Road. He suffered minor injuries, police said.

‘It didn’t have to happen’

Speaking with reporters following Friday’s court hearing, Wolfson said Hampton may have only been arrested on a misdemeanor charge if the officer had not been shot.

“That’s why it’s a sad day. It didn’t have to happen,” Wolfson said. “This officer didn’t have to lose his life.”

Wolfson said Hampton’s girlfriend, and then the woman’s mother, called 911 to report the domestic disturbance Thursday morning. The civilian who was shot was struck in the leg and suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, he said.

“I believe (the injured civilian) was either one of the persons who made the call or was in the car with the people who made the call,” Wolfson said.

Hampton faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon, four counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, two counts involving the unlawful discharge of a firearm, and one count each of battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm and domestic battery, court records show.

Wolfson said prosecutors will give “careful consideration” to whether it is appropriate to seek the death penalty for Hampton.

Last year, Hampton pleaded guilty to drawing a deadly weapon in a threatening manner. The crime occurred in July 2020 during a confrontation at his mother’s home. It involved him, his girlfriend and other people, according to a redacted arrest report. He was sentenced to probation and community service, and was ordered to turn over a 9 mm Glock 19, court records show.

He was initially charged with a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon before it was reduced to the misdemeanor charge.

“We had uncooperative witnesses,” Wolfson said. “We had uncooperative victims, and we can’t proceed if we can’t get people to come to court and cooperate.”

Wolfson declined to say whether any of the victims of that crime were involved in the domestic disturbance on Thursday.

Suspect was ‘known to pull guns’

Hampton’s relatives told police who were investigating the earlier case that Hampton often carried guns and was “known to pull guns on family during arguments,” the report said.

He was accused of aiming a gun at two women during the confrontation, including one who was 38 weeks pregnant, according to the report. During a police interview, he denied pointing the gun at anyone.

His mother told police she kicked him out of her house before the confrontation because she found him with a gun.

In November 2019, Hampton pulled out a firearm during a confrontation with his relatives, and his brother grabbed the gun and pointed it toward the ceiling, when it went off, the brother told police. The following month, police received a report of a gun going off at the family’s apartment, the report said.

Thai had spent 23 years working for Metro, most recently on the graveyard shift in the south central area command, the department said. He previously worked in financial crimes and in the training division.

He had a passion for boating and coached girls volleyball for many years, Metro said, noting that his 19-year-old daughter loved to play volleyball with him.

The Injured Police Officers Fund has set up a donation page in his honor and is hosting a fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday at 4065 S. Jones Blvd. to raise money for his family.

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Park.

Hampton was ordered to appear in court again on Tuesday, when prosecutors are expected to file formal charges.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.