In the line of duty, Lieutenant Richard Earl Newman Sr., a 48-year-old male with the Crowley Police Department, tragically lost his life on February 19, 1993. A respected veteran of the department with ten years of service, Newman was participating in a drug raid in Lafayette at the time of the incident.
During the raid, as officers were in the process of apprehending multiple suspects, a struggle broke out. In the ensuing chaos, a fellow officer's firearm discharged, striking Lieutenant Newman. The wound proved to be fatal. He was a United States Army veteran and was survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
An investigation into the shooting was conducted to understand the circumstances that led to the tragic event. The investigation concluded that the shooting was accidental, a case of friendly fire during a high-stakes police operation. As a result, no arrests were made, and there were no suspects charged in connection with the death of Lieutenant Richard Newman.
