Bossier City Police Department, Louisiana
End of Watch: Sunday, December 17, 1972
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 17, 1972
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life in prison
Officer Clyde Pearson was shot and killed by a suspect he had just arrested for driving while intoxicated.
Officer Pearson placed the suspect in the back seat of his patrol car after he conducted a pat down search. The suspect drew a hidden pistol and shot Officer Pearson in the back of the head and killed him. The suspect then shot and wounded a state trooper who stepped outside of a nearby highway patrol station to investigate the shot.
The suspect escaped, but was later apprehended after a chase and shootout with police. The suspect was convicted of the murder of Officer Pearson and sentenced to life. In March of 2016 a parole board denied his request to reduce his sentence to 60 years which would have made him eligible for parole.
Officer Pearson had been employed with the Bossier City Police Department for four years, and is survived by his mother.