Drugs may be behind homicide

Karen Zekan

Tuesday, April 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

A 40-year-old man was killed and another man was seriously injured after what police suspect was a drug-related shooting downtown.

About five people were gathered outside an apartment at 801 Bridger Ave., across the street from the Las Vegas Academy, about 9:15 p.m. Monday.

A man drove up the street, parked and walked toward the group, firing several rounds into the crowd, police said.

The shooter ran back to the car, described only as dark in color, and fled northbound on Eighth Street, witnesses told police. Another man was waiting in the car for the shooter, Metro Police homicide Sgt. Bill Keeton said.

Lt. Larry Spinosa said the apartment building has had a history of drug activity.

Sgt. Bill Keeton said the group outside the apartment also "allegedly hang around and do their business" at the corner of First Street and Lewis Avenue, which is notorious for street drug sales and also the location of a drive-by shooting in February.

Keeton described the Eighth Street apartment as "trashed" because of the "two-day, ongoing party."

The two victims left the apartment in opposite directions, Keeton said.

Vicente Garcia ran west from the apartment dripping blood from bullet wounds to his upper torso. He collapsed in the doorway of the Bridger Law Building one block away at Bridger and Seventh Street.

Paramedics transported Garcia to University Medical Center, where he died in surgery at 9:55 p.m., a nursing supervisor said.

Police found the other victim, Barbaro Gener, 36, a block north of the apartment on the corner of Eighth and Carson Avenue with two bullet wounds to his chest, Spinosa said. Gener underwent surgery late Tuesday and was in fair and stable condition today, a nursing supervisor said.

Witnesses gave police only vague statements.

"I feel confident that these people know exactly who these guys (shooters) are, but they're refusing to tell us," Keeton said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Metro's homicide section at 229-3521.

The latest shooting marks the 54th homicide this year in Clark County, more than a third of the total homicides last year.