Laurel County, KY - Sheriff John Root is reporting that: Deputy Kyle Gray along with Sheriff John Root, Capt. Chuck Johnson, Deputy Shawn Boroviak, the Laurel County Special Response Unit (SRU) team members Detective Jason Back, Detective Kevin Berry, Deputy John Inman, and Deputy Josh Scott arrested a barricaded suspect on Sunday afternoon July 17, 2016 at approximately 5:56 PM.
Arrested was:
Willard Hampton age 56 of John Parker Rd., London, KY.
The arrest occurred after Deputy Kyle Gray was dispatched to a 911 complaint that this subject had been in an altercation with his live in ex-wife and had fired a handgun at her.
When deputies arrived at the scene they found the ex wife at the neighbors house and learned that her ex husband had drank a 12 pack of beer and a fifth of whiskey and that he had allegedly set her belongings outside the residence and told her to leave and not come back.
A verbal argument occurred and then Willard Hampton allegedly pulled a Smith and Wesson 38 and fired a shot at her as she was leaving the residence. This subject then barricaded himself inside the residence by locking the three doors and putting drywall screws in all three doors also.
Deputies attempted to make contact by telephone with this subject several different times but the suspect refused to answer. Deputies then summoned the Sheriff's Office Special Response Unit who responded to the scene.
The SRU attempted to make contact with the suspect however he refused to respond. The SRU then opened a window to the residence and deployed a smoke canister into the residence. The suspect still refused to exit the residence. SRU then opened another window on the other side of the residence and deployed another smoke canister into the residence causing the suspect to come to the window where the suspect briefly struggled with deputies and was taken into custody without further incident.
Willard Hampton was charged with: wanton endangerment – first-degree; assault – fourth degree – domestic violence; criminal mischief third-degree; resisting arrest; disorderly conduct – second-degree; and alcohol intoxication and was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.
Deputies located a 38 Smith & Wesson pistol inside the residence and a bullet hole in the window of the residence where the suspect had allegedly fired his pistol at his ex-wife.
Photo of the crime scene provided by Capt. Chuck Johnson.
Inset photo of accused is courtesy of the Laurel County Detention Center.
