Cop-shooting suspect still eluding police

Karen Zekan

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Authorities believe the suspect wanted for the attempted murder of a Metro Police officer is being transported around town in the trunks of friends' vehicles.

Nacho Hinojosa Garcia, 22, was originally thought to have fled the Las Vegas area after the Jan. 28 shootout in which patrolman Luis Norris was wounded in the foot. A bulletproof vest prevented several rounds from hitting the officer's chest, police said.

Anonymous sources have notified Secret Witness that Garcia is still in the area, and resorting to such extreme measures to avoid being sighted by police during car trips through town, authorities said.

"He has relatives here, close relatives," said homicide Sgt. Kevin Manning, adding that supervisors at local fast-food businesses where Garcia had worked have not reported seeing or hearing anything from him in recent weeks.

Norris, 25, remains on paid administrative leave from his southeast area command post where he had been a patrolman for one year. The bullet that struck his foot bruised, but did not break, the skin, police said.

"He's undergoing counseling," Manning said. "It's unknown when he'll be back. We're waiting on his counselor to say when he's ready."

A hail of bullets struck nearby buildings the night of the shootout, many of them striking nearby apartments and at least two hitting the car of a passer-by, piercing the metal and deflecting off the driver's tennis shoe.

With backup en route, Norris was walking west in the 1400 block of Reno Avenue about 7 p.m. looking for an address where a domestic dispute had been reported in progress when he heard gunshots coming from a maroon Dodge Colt wagon. Then saw a man, later identified as Kent Spear, leap out the passenger side with a bloody leg.

Spear yelled to Norris that the shooter was inside the vehicle, seconds before the gunman, whom police have identified as Garcia, stuck his arm out of the car and began firing.

Norris chased the shooter down the street but lost him when he hopped a wall.

Spear and Norris were treated and released from University Medical Center for their injuries.

Investigators believe Spear was shot in retaliation for an argument earlier in the day with Garcia, Manning said.

Garcia, also known as Jorge Garcia-Hinojosa, is described as 5 feet 6, 160 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes. Police consider him to be armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information on Hinojosa's whereabouts is asked to call Metro's homicide section at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.