Officer shoots man in NLV

Keith Paul

Monday, Aug. 6, 2001 | 10:41 a.m.

A North Las Vegas Police officer shot a 30-year-old man in the leg early this morning after the man reportedly got out of a van with a shotgun.

A resident called police about 12:10 a.m. to report that a passenger in a van was waving a gun out of the window. A short time later another caller reported that shots had been fired in the same area. An officer spotted the van in the area of McCarran Street and Judson Avenue near Carey Avenue and Civic Center Drive, said Lt. Art Redcay, a police spokesman.

The officer followed the van a short distance. When the driver of the van pulled into a driveway in the 2000 block of Crawford Street, the officer yelled for the passengers to get out of the vehicle, Redcay said.

Two men got out of the van through the side door. They were followed by a third man, who is accused of pointing a shotgun at the officer. The officer fired two shots, Redcay said.

The men fled through a yard. A woman, who was driving the van, remained at the scene. She told police she was the victim of a carjacking.

Police found the three suspects in a yard on Ellis Street, one street over from where the van stopped. Jose Gonzales, 30, had a gunshot wound in the left calf. Jesus Carrilla, 19, and Rual Villa, 31, were also arrested, but they were not injured, police said.

Gonzales was treated at University Medical Center and released into police custody. The three men and the female driver were questioned this morning by detectives, police said.

Police found a pistol-grip shotgun at the location on Crawford Street and a handgun at the location on Ellis Street, police said.

Carrilla was charged with discharging a firearm and felony obstruction, Gonzales was charged with aiming a firearm at another and felony obstruction, and Villa was charged with obstruction, Redcay said.

Police are still investigating and additional charges may be filed.

The officer, whose name will not be released for 48 hours per department policy, was put on routine administrative leave this morning while the shooting is investigated.

This morning's incident is the second shooting involving a North Las Vegas Police officer this year.

Billy Ray Finks Jr., 16, was shot and killed Feb. 27 by Officer Anthony Bailey after Finks got out of a stolen car holding what turned out to be a toy gun.

Bailey testified at a Clark County Coroner's inquest in March that when he saw the chrome barrel from about 30 feet away he thought it was a real gun and fired two shots.

The inquest jury ruled the officer was justified when he shot and killed Finks.