In the winter of 1990, the city of Augusta, Georgia, was shaken by the loss of one of its own. Sergeant Charles Thomas Hammock, a 53-year-old male and a 31-year veteran of the Augusta Police Department, was fatally shot on December 18th. The tragic series of events began to unfold after Sergeant Hammock, having just completed a special duty shift at a basketball game, made a stop at a fast-food establishment.
In the parking lot, he had an exchange with a few young men, requesting them to lower the volume of their loud stereo.
What seemed like a minor dispute took a dark turn as the men followed Sergeant Hammock to his home. As he arrived and exited his vehicle, his path was blocked by the car that had tailed him. In a senseless act of violence, one of the individuals shot Sergeant Hammock once in the chest. The men then fled the scene.
The investigation into the death of Sergeant Hammock led to the arrest of three suspects. The subsequent legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for the slain officer. Two of the individuals were tried and convicted of murder, receiving life sentences for their roles in the crime. A third suspect who was tried in connection with the shooting was acquitted of the charges.
