Man opens fire on Sparks police, is shot to death

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997 | 9:11 a.m.

The man, who was identified on Tuesday as Clayton Robbins, 38, of Reno, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident began when Sparks Fire Department paramedics responded to a two-car accident on Monday and were confronted by the gunman, who apparently caused the wreck with a sudden U-turn.

"It was a normal call to a vehicle accident. There was a normal on-scene report," said Deputy Sparks Fire Chief Lee Leighton. "Shortly afterward, one of of the firemen got on the radio calling for help."

The man had a high-powered rifle with a scope and a semiautomatic pistol, according to Police Chief John Dotson.

Officers swarmed to the area in the 1200 block of East Glendale and opened fire on the man when a police cruiser was hit by one of several rounds he fired.

The two Sparks officers involved in the shooting, Matt Marquez and Kevin Browning, have been placed on routine restricted duty pending an investigation that is being conducted by the Reno Police Department.

Those findings will be reviewed by the Washoe County district attorney's office.