Police continue search for three saloon gunmen

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1999 | 11:05 a.m.

Metro Police continued searching today for the three gunmen who escaped from an apparent failed bar holdup early Sunday where an off-duty officer fatally shot a fourth gunman -- a 19-year-old convicted felon.

Officer Dennis Devitte, 41, who was shot during the apparent attempted robbery at Mr. D's sports bar at South Rainbow and Oakey boulevards, was listed this morning in fair condition at University Medical Center. Police originally said Devitte was shot four times, but hospital officials now say he was hit as many as six times.

Devitte, a 19-year veteran officer currently assigned to patrol, shot and killed Emilio Rodriguez, a Las Vegas resident who was a registered felon for a possession of a stolen car conviction and had several theft-related arrests, according to law enforcement records.

Rodriguez dropped out of 12th grade at Horizon East -- an alternative school -- in October 1997 only about three or four credits short of graduation. In September 1998 Rodriguez met with a counselor at the COSTAR program seeking to come back to school but never returned after the first meeting, said Becky Pintar, administrator of COSTAR, a program to help students get back into school or help them stay in school.

Devitte also was involved with the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man Oct. 21, 1998.

A November 1998 Clark County Coroner's inquest took less than 30 minutes to rule Devitte was justified in the fatal shooting of 51-year-old Lonnie James. In that incident, Devitte and other officers first tried to subdue the knife-wielding, two-time convicted sex offender with pepper spray.

The day before the showdown, a report was filed with police accusing James of molesting his grandchildren. He was apparently upset about the possibility he would be arrested again, police said.

In Sunday's incident, four gunmen entered the front door of the bar about 1:20 a.m., where a band whose members include Metro officers was playing. Several of the customers at the bar were off-duty officers.

About 70 people were inside the bar at the time. Apparently when one of the gunmen tried to jump over the bar, a customer pulled him down.

Devitte then pulled out his gun and badge and identified himself as a Metro Police officer, Del Bunch, owner of Mr. D's sports bar, said.

"The bad guy then shot the officer," Bunch said. "He fired back. As fast as the shooting started, it was over."

When the shooting stopped, five customers -- all men who were not officers -- and Devitte had been shot. All four gunmen ran out of the bar. Rodriguez collapsed and died on the ground outside the bar. Four of the customers were treated and released. The fifth was listed in fair condition this morning at the hospital.

"If he (Devitte) didn't stand up and do what he did, God knows what would have happened," Bunch said.

Police say the gunmen started firing first, Metro Capt. Greg Jolley said.

Police would not reveal anything about the investigation, saying it was ongoing. Sheriff Jerry Keller had planned a press conference at 2 p.m. today to talk about the officer-involved shooting.

Bunch said Sunday was the first time there has been a robbery attempt at his Dallas Cowboys-themed bar in the five years it has been open.

None of the men injured during the shooting has a life-threatening wound, but Bunch said many will be out of work for a while. The bar will hold a fund-raiser Dec. 18 to help out the families of the wounded, Bunch said.