Services held for officer killed while training on mountain

Friday, March 27, 1998 | 10:52 a.m.

Police fired a 21-gun salute during services at the North Las Vegas air terminal, where Russell Peterson's Search and rescue squad was located.

After the services, a police helicopter took the 40-year-old Peterson's remains on a flight around Mt. Charleston, an area where he climbed frequently and where he lost his life.

Peterson and a partner were conducting technical ice climbing training on Echo Face in the Cathedral Rock area of Mount Charleston, northwest of Las Vegas on Tuesday when the accident occurred. Several thousand pounds of ice broke loose, falling on Peterson and narrowly missing the volunteer.

Peterson was a popular eight-year veteran of the department.

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