Suspect in police officer’s killing pleads not guilty
A 24-year-old man facing the death penalty in the killing of a Las Vegas police officer pleaded not guilty on Thursday to dozens of felonies.
Tyson Hampton, who is accused of killing Metropolitan Police Department officer Truong Thai, has been charged with murder, battery, battery constituting domestic violence, four counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and 19 counts of illegally discharging a weapon, court records show.
“This is a case where we’re going to need at least a year,” defense attorney Robert Langford said about the timing of a potential jury trial.
District Judge Tierra Jones set a trial date for Hampton in February 2024.
After Thursday’s hearing, Langford declined to comment on the allegations against Hampton.
Thai was shot Oct. 13, 2022, while responding to a report from Hampton’s wife that her husband was beating her, police have said. Body camera footage released in October showed Thai approaching Hampton while he was sitting in a car near University Center Drive and Flamingo Road.
After refusing to answer Thai’s questions, Hampton grabbed an AK-47 pistol from his passenger seat and fired 18 rounds, striking Thai, a Metro vehicle, Hampton’s mother-in-law and her car, police have said.
One of the rounds struck Thai in his side, passing through his bulletproof vest. Thai and officer Ryan Gillihan, who was not injured, returned fire during the shooting.
Last week, prosecutors filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, meaning they are officially seeking capital punishment for Hampton.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on May 18.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.
