In the area of Michigan Avenue and the Southfield Freeway, 33-year-old Dearborn Police Sergeant Christopher Robert Hampton, a White male, died on November 25, 2020. His death was later ruled a suicide by the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office, resulting from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. At the time of his death, Hampton was a ten-year veteran of the Dearborn Police Department.
Five years prior to his death, in December 2015, Hampton was involved in the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Kevin Matthews. The incident occurred after a foot chase and a physical struggle, during which Hampton stated that Matthews was attempting to take his gun. Hampton fired nine shots, killing Matthews. Following an investigation, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office did not file criminal charges against Hampton, determining that his use of force was in self-defense.
Despite the prosecutor's decision, the family of Kevin Matthews filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against Sergeant Hampton and the city of Dearborn in October 2016. The lawsuit alleged that there were inconsistencies in the police account of the shooting. A federal judge later ruled that the case should proceed to trial, citing that experts had cast doubt on Hampton's explanation of the events. The ongoing litigation was a source of stress for Hampton. Settlement talks in the lawsuit were reportedly held the day of his death but did not result in an agreement.
